Systems and Methods Using Cryptography to Protect Secure Computing Environments
First Claim
1. A method comprising the steps of:
- digitally signing a load module using a first key to yield a first digital signature;
digitally signing the load module using a second key to yield a second digital signature;
distributing at least the first digital signature to a first remote electronic appliance, wherein the first remote electronic appliance comprises a first protected processing environment operable to authenticate the first digital signature before the first remote electronic appliance executes the load module; and
distributing at least the second digital signature to a second remote electronic appliance, wherein the second remote electronic appliance comprises a second protected processing environment operable to authenticate the second digital signature before the second remote electronic appliance executes the load module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Secure computation environments are protected from bogus or rogue load modules, executables and other data elements through use of digital signatures, seals and certificates issued by a verifying authority. A verifying authority—which may be a trusted independent third party—tests the load modules or other executables to verify that their corresponding specifications are accurate and complete, and then digitally signs the load module or other executable based on tamper resistance work factor classification. Secure computation environments with different tamper resistance work factors use different verification digital signature authentication techniques (e.g., different signature algorithms and/or signature verification keys)—allowing one tamper resistance work factor environment to protect itself against load modules from another, different tamper resistance work factor environment. Several dissimilar digital signature algorithms may be used to reduce vulnerability from algorithm compromise, and subsets of multiple digital signatures may be used to reduce the scope of any specific compromise.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method comprising the steps of:
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digitally signing a load module using a first key to yield a first digital signature;
digitally signing the load module using a second key to yield a second digital signature;
distributing at least the first digital signature to a first remote electronic appliance, wherein the first remote electronic appliance comprises a first protected processing environment operable to authenticate the first digital signature before the first remote electronic appliance executes the load module; and
distributing at least the second digital signature to a second remote electronic appliance, wherein the second remote electronic appliance comprises a second protected processing environment operable to authenticate the second digital signature before the second remote electronic appliance executes the load module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 28)
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12. A computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code being operable, when executed by a computer system, to cause the computer system to perform steps comprising:
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digitally signing a load module using a first key to yield a first digital signature;
digitally signing the load module using a second key to yield a second digital signature;
distributing at least the first digital signature to a first remote electronic appliance; and
distributing at least the second digital signature to a second remote electronic appliance, the second remote electronic appliance having an assurance level that is greater than an assurance level of the first remote electronic appliance. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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means for digitally signing a load module using a first key to yield a first digital signature;
means for digitally signing the load module using a second key to yield a second digital signature;
means for distributing at least the first digital signature to a first remote electronic appliance comprising a first protected processing environment operable to authenticate the first digital signature before the first remote electronic appliance executes the load module, and means for distributing at least the second digital signature to a second remote electronic appliance comprising a second protected processing environment operable to authenticate the second digital signature before the second remote electronic appliance executes the load module. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification