Data recording cartridge of the anti-compromise kind and associated anti-compromise processing

• US 20050213466A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Enertec SA (Vitec Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Enertec SA (Vitec Group PLC)
• Inventors: Hommeau, Francois, Sulzer, Jean-Francois
• Application Number:
  US11/058,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20050213466A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 369/59.230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings

Abstract

The present invention relates to the incorporation in the removable cartridge C, as an interface between the usual storage STK (discs or static memory) and the outside of the aforementioned cartridge, of an encrypting-decrypting module MCD devoid of any non-volatile memory and capable of supporting an encoding key 10 which is assigned prior to each recording session so that all the stored data is encrypted and here is no trace of the aforementioned encoding key left the moment the first power supply cut-off to the module occurs, as a result of a general power supply cut-off, for example via connection 30, or as a result of the disengagement of the cartridge from the recorder.

Claims

1. A data recording cartridge fed with data from a data recorder, comprising:

an encrypting-decrypting module devoid of any non-volatile memory which acts as an interface between a usual storage medium and an outside of the data recording cartridge,

wherein the data recording cartridge is capable of operating an encoding key which is given prior to each recording session so that all the data stored is encoded and there is no trace of the aforementioned encoding key the moment a first power supply cut-off to the encrypting-decrypting module occurs.

2. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein the cartridge is a removable cartridge.

3. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a specially designed electronic module engaged to the encoding key so that there is no trace of the encoding key the moment the first power supply cut-off to the specially designed electronic module occurs, as a result of a main power supply cut-off.

4. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein the data originates by a known means of acquisition.

5. The data recording cartridge of claim 4 wherein the known means of acquisition is data fed by a camera.

6. The data recording cartridge of claim 4 wherein the known means of acquisition is data fed by an IR device.

7. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein the encrypting-decrypting module comprises an encryption algorithm.

8. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein the cartridge continues to interface itself like a standard data-processing peripheral according to a protocol and via a usual link, wherein at a beginning of a recording session, a data recorder provides, without keeping any trace of it, via the usual link, the encoding key that it has received in compliance with a security requirement and via a usual input method and wherein all the data delivered to the data recording cartridge is then encrypted as a result prior to being recorded and can be read back, decrypted and reconstructed by following a reverse processing, knowing that if no encoding key is activated, the recorder can be programmed to operate in a “

non-encrypted”

mode according to the usual manner.

9. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein as soon as the first power supply disruption to the data recording cartridge occurs, the encoding key is erased from the encrypting-decrypting module and only encrypted information remains recorded on the cartridge which becomes at that point, since it is no longer readable, unclassified or markedly less sensitive.

10. The data recording cartridge of claim 8 further comprises a system activator 40, wherein the system activator is activated by the first power supply disruption to the cartridge and once activated, activates the specially designed electronic module to erase any trace of the encoding key.

11. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 wherein a physical arrangement of the recorder is adopted so that physical access to the inside of the data recording cartridge through disassembling cannot be physically possible unless the data recording cartridge is separated from an electrical connection and thus undergo a power supply cut-off which erases any trace of the encoding key.

12. The data recording cartridge of claim 10 wherein a time delay system automatically initiates a power supply cut-off after a pre-programmed period of a lack of communication between the data recorder and the data recording cartridge.

13. The data recording cartridge of claim 10 wherein a system, initiates a power supply cut-off in an event of an aircraft acceleration value greater than a normal acceleration value registered during normal aircraft operation.

14. The data recording cartridge of claim 10 further comprising a mechanical armor-plating which prevents access to a cartridge power supply from the outside.

15. The data recording cartridge of claim 13 further comprising a deformation sensor wherein the deformation sensor would sense a deformation in the mechanical armor plotting and cut-off the power supply.

16. The data recording cartridge of claim 10 further comprising a power supply shut-off device which is activated under conditions known as abnormal, such as the exposure of a photocell to daylight or by detecting a change in brightness.

17. The data recording cartridge of claim 1 further comprising a miniature printed circuit board which comprises all necessary components of the encrypting-decrypting module.

18. The data recording cartridge of claim 1, wherein data is delivered to the data recording cartridge by a data recorder which acquires diverse sources of data and makes such data ready for transfer on the data recording cartridge which is interchangeable via a data processing type of standardized interface, such connections providing for a data transmission rate in the order of about a gigabit/second, wherein this same data recorder containing functions to identically read back all or part of the acquired parameters, even when the recording is in process.

19. A method of preventing a compromise of data, comprising:

providing a data recording cartridge;

acquiring a data by a known means of acquisition;

engaging an encrypting-decrypting module to the data recording cartridge;

engaging an encoding key to the encrypting-decrypting module wherein the encoding key is provided prior to each recording session so that all acquired data becomes encoded; and

removing any trace of the encoding key as the result of a power shut-off, wherein all data will be encrypted.