System for binding secrets to a computer system having tolerance for hardware changes

• US 20040177255A1
• Filed: 03/03/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hughes, Aidan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,296,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/04 Antibacterial agents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/125 by manipulating the program code, e.g. source code, compiled code, interpreted code, machine code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/126 Interacting with the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00782 wherein the usage restriction limits the number of times a program can be installed

Abstract

Systems and methods for binding a secret to a computer system are disclosed. Systems and methods for generating a strong hardware identification (SHWID) for a given computer system are also disclosed. The strong hardware identification (SHWID) is coupled to a bound secret. The strong hardware identification (SHWID) may be used to control the use of software on the given computer system depending on the degree of hardware changes to the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of generating a strong hardware identification (SHWID) for a first computer system having a first hardware configuration, wherein the method comprises:

identifying each component class within the first hardware configuration, wherein the number of component classes is equal to n;

determining a class product, c_p, for each component class;

determining a partial secret, P_p, for each component class; and

adding the class product, c_p, and the partial secret, P_p, for each component class to form n strong class IDs,

wherein the n strong class IDs in combination form the strong hardware identification (SHWID) of the first computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein n is a whole number up to about 16.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the class product, c_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

choosing the number of component classes n;

identifying the n component classes;

identifying all instances within each component class;

assigning an identification string for each component instance;

generating instance primes, P_p,q,for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 ton, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration; and

multiplying the instance primes within each component class to form class product, c_p, for each component class.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string for each component instance into a prime number generating function, f(x), wherein x is the identification string having an length of up to about 65,000 characters.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial secret, P_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

generating a random number, r_p, for each component class;

generating class primes, p_p, for each component class, wherein each class prime is a positive prime number

choosing a number of required component class matches, m, wherein m is less than or equal to n;

determining N, wherein N is equal to the product of the m smallest class primes p_p;

determining M, wherein M is equal to the product of the (m−

1) largest class primes p_p, and M is less than N;

selecting a secret number S, wherein M<

S<

N;

determining class remainders, d_p, for each component class, wherein d_p equals [S (mod p_p)];

forming a first binary value for each component class, wherein the first binary value is the class prime p_p for each class encoded into a first binary number having up to u bits, wherein u is less than t and both u and t are less than about 2,048;

forming a second binary value for each component class, wherein the second binary value is the class remainder d_p for each class encoded into a second binary number having up to v bits, wherein v is less than t, and (u+v=t); and

concatenating the first binary value and the second binary value to form partial secret, P_p, for each component class having a total number of bits equal to t.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each random number, r_p, is generated using a random number generator, and has a value ranging from 0 to less than 2^u.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of generating class primes, p_p, for each component class comprises inputting the random number for each component class into a prime number generating function, g(x), wherein x is the random number having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein g(x) generates a positive prime number having a value ranging from greater than 2 to less than 2^v.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is initiated during a step of loading a software product onto the first computer system.

11. A method of determining whether a software product can be used on a second computer system having a second hardware configuration, wherein the second computer system is identical to or different from the first computer system, wherein the method comprises:

identifying the n components classes used to determine the strong hardware identification (SHWID) generated by the method of claim 1;

identifying all instances within each component class of the second hardware configuration;

retrieving an identification string that represents each individual component instance;

generating instance primes, i_p,q, for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 ton, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration or the second hardware configuration;

retrieving possible class partial secrets, P_p,q, wherein;

P_p,q=[C_p(mod i_p,q)];

extracting possible class primes, P_p,q, and possible class remainders, d_p,q, from the possible class partial secrets, P_p,q;

solving a set of congruences provided by a permutation of the possible class primes and the possible class remainders to produce a possible secret; and

testing the possible secret by decoding a given ciphertext and testing a result of the testing against a corresponding known plaintext;

wherein;

if the resultant plaintext matches the known plaintext, loading the software product onto the second computer system; and

if the resultant plaintext does not match the known plaintext, preventing the software product from being loaded onto the second computer system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string that represents each individual component instance into a prime number generating function, f(x), wherein x is the identification string having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.

14. A computing system containing at least one application module usable on the computing system, wherein the at least one application module comprises application code for performing the method of claim 1.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

16. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method of generating a strong hardware identification (SHWID) for a first computer system having a first hardware configuration, wherein the method comprises:

identifying each component class within the first hardware configuration, wherein the number of component classes is equal to n;

determining a class product, c_p, for each component class;

determining a partial secret, P_p, for each component class; and

adding the class product, c_p, and the partial secret, P_p, for each component class to form n strong class IDs,

wherein the n strong class IDs in combination form the strong hardware identification (SHWID) of the first computer system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein n is a whole number up to about 16.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the class product, c_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

choosing the number of component classes n;

identifying the n component classes;

identifying all instances within each component class;

assigning an identification string for each component instance;

generating instance primes, P_p,q, for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 to n, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration; and

multiplying the instance primes within each component class to form class product, c_p, for each component class.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string for each component instance into a prime number generating function f(x), wherein x is the identification string having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the partial secret, P_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

generating a random number, r_p, for each component class;

generating class primes, p_p, for each component class, wherein each class prime is a positive prime number choosing a number of required component class matches, m, wherein m is less than or equal to n;

determining N, wherein N is equal to the product of the m smallest class primes p_p;

determining M, wherein M is equal to the product of the (m−

1) largest class primes p_p, and M is less than N;

selecting a secret number S, wherein M<

S<

N;

determining class remainders, d_p, for each component class, wherein d_p equals [S (mod p_p)];

forming a first binary value for each component class, wherein the first binary value is the class prime p_p for each class encoded into a first binary number having up to u bits, wherein u is less than t and both u and t are less than about 2,048;

forming a second binary value for each component class, wherein the second binary value is the class remainder d_p for each class encoded into a second binary number having up to v bits, wherein v is less than t, and (u+v=t); and

concatenating the first binary value and the second binary value to form partial secret, P_p, for each component class having a total number of bits equal to t.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein each random number, r_p, is generated using a random number generator, and has a value ranging from 0 to less than 2^u.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of generating class primes, p_p, for each component class comprises inputting the random number for each component class into a prime number generating function, g(x), wherein x is the random number having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein g(x) generates a positive prime number having a value ranging from greater than 2 to less than 2^v.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the method is initiated during a step of loading a software product onto the first computer system.

26. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions for performing a method of determining whether a software product can be used on a second computer system having a second hardware configuration, wherein the second computer system is identical to or different from the first computer system, wherein the method comprises:

identifying the n components classes used to determine the strong hardware identification (SHWID) generated by the method of claim 16;

identifying all instances within each component class of the second hardware configuration;

retrieving an identification string that represents each individual component instance;

generating instance primes, i_p,q, for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 to n, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration or the second hardware configuration;

retrieving possible class partial secrets, P_p,q, wherein;

P_p,q=[C_p(mod i_p,q)];

extracting possible class primes, p_p,q, and possible class remainders, d_p,q, from the possible class partial secrets, P_p,q;

solving the set of congruences provided by a permutation of possible class primes and possible class remainders to produce a possible secret; and

testing the possible secret by decoding a given ciphertext and testing the result against the corresponding known plaintext;

wherein;

if the resultant plaintext matches the known plaintext, loading the software product onto the second computer system; and

if the resultant plaintext does not match the known plaintext, preventing the software product from being loaded onto the second computer system.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string that represents each individual component instance into a prime number generating function, f(x), wherein x is the identification string having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.

29. A computing system containing at least one application module usable on the computing system, wherein the at least one application module comprises application code for performing a method of generating a strong hardware identification (SHWID) for a first computer system having a first hardware configuration, wherein the method comprises:

identifying each component class within the first hardware configuration, wherein the number of component classes is equal to n;

determining a class product, c_p, for each component class;

determining a partial secret, P_p, for each component class; and

adding the class product, c_p, and the partial secret, P_p, for each component class to form n strong class IDs,

wherein the n strong class IDs in combination form the strong hardware identification (SHWID) of the first computer system.

30. The computing system of claim 29, wherein n is a whole number up to about 16.

31. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the class product, c_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

choosing the number of component classes n;

identifying the n component classes;

identifying all instances within each component class;

assigning an identification string for each component instance;

generating instance primes, P_p,q, for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 to n, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration; and

multiplying the instance primes within each component class to form class product, c_p, for each component class.

32. The computing system of claim 31, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string for each component instance into a prime number generating function, f(x), wherein x is the identification string having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

33. The computing system of claim 32, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.

34. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the partial secret, P_p, for each component class is determined by the following steps:

generating a random number, r_p, for each component class;

generating class primes, p_p, for each component class, wherein each class prime is a positive prime number

choosing a number of required component class matches, m, wherein m is less than or equal to n;

determining N, wherein N is equal to the product of the m smallest class primes p_p;

determining M, wherein M is equal to the product of the (m−

1) largest class primes p_p, and M is less than N;

selecting a secret number S, wherein M<

S<

N;

determining class remainders, d_p, for each component class, wherein d_p equals [S (mod p_p)];

forming a first binary value for each component class, wherein the first binary value is the class prime p_p for each class encoded into a first binary number having up to u bits, wherein u is less than t and both u and t are less than about 2,048;

forming a second binary value for each component class, wherein the second binary value is the class remainder d_p for each class encoded into a second binary number having up to v bits, wherein v is less than t, and (u+v=t); and

concatenating the first binary value and the second binary value to form partial secret, P_p, for each component class having a total number of bits equal to t.

35. The computing system of claim 34, wherein each random number, r_p, is generated using a random number generator, and has a value ranging from 0 to less than 2^u.

36. The computing system of claim 34, wherein the step of generating class primes, p_p, for each component class comprises inputting the random number for each component class into a prime number generating function, g(x), wherein x is the random number having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

37. The computing system of claim 36, wherein g(x) generates a positive prime number having a value ranging from greater than 2 to less than 2_v.

38. The computing system of claim 29, wherein the method is initiated during a step of loading a software product onto the first computer system.

39. A computing system containing at least one application module usable on the computing system, wherein the at least one application module comprises application code for performing a method of determining whether a software product can be used on a second computer system having a second hardware configuration, wherein the second computer system is identical to or different from the first computer system, wherein the method comprises:

identifying the n components classes used to determine the strong hardware identification (SHWID) generated by the method of claim 29;

identifying all instances within each component class of the second hardware configuration;

retrieving an identification string that represents each individual component instance;

generating instance primes, i_p,q, for each component instance, wherein each instance prime is a positive prime number, and wherein p represents a given component class number ranging from 1 to n, and q represents the q-th type of component within the first hardware configuration or the second hardware configuration;

retrieving possible class partial secrets, P_p,q, wherein;

P_p,q=[C_p(mod i_p,q)];

extracting possible class primes, p_p,q, and possible class remainders, d_p,q, from the possible class partial secrets, P_p,q;

solving the set of congruences provided by a permutation of possible class primes and possible class remainders to produce a possible secret; and

testing the possible secret by decoding a given ciphertext and testing the result against the corresponding known plaintext;

wherein;

if the resultant plaintext matches the known plaintext, loading the software product onto the second computer system; and

if the resultant plaintext does not match the known plaintext, preventing the software product from being loaded onto the second computer system.

40. The computing system of claim 39, wherein the step of generating instance primes comprises inputting the identification string that represents each individual component instance into a prime number generating function, f(x), wherein x is the identification string having a length of up to about 65,000 characters.

41. The computing system of claim 40, wherein f(x) generates a positive prime number having a value greater than 2^t, wherein t is a whole number ranging from about 32 to about 2,048.