Systems and Methods for Digitally-Signed Updates

• US 20080025515A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jason Scott Coombs
• Original Assignee: Jason Scott Coombs
• Inventors: Coombs, Jason Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/828,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20080025515A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2145 Inheriting rights or properties, e.g., propagation of permissions or restrictions within a hierarchy

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide a cryptographic system that enables updates with digital signatures, the signatures being created using an improved digital signature scheme, or using a conventional digital signature scheme that uses a one-way hash function algorithm during digital signature creation and verification, the updates being digitally-signed by a customer in addition to potentially being digitally-signed by a vendor. The updates being either programming instructions or a cryptographic key. The digital signatures associated with the updates being stored in a customer signature repository. The updates being delivered to a customer host along with the associated digital signature retrieved from a customer signature repository. Digital signatures being verified on the customer host using a customer public key. Acceptance of the updates being dependent on successful digital signature verification.

Claims

1. A method for digitally-signed updates, the method including:

generating a customer update signature for an update;

communicating the customer update signature to a signature repository;

receiving the update at a customer host; and

verifying the update at the customer host based on the customer update signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the update is a provider update.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the update is a customer update.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature repository is accessible to a provider server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature repository is accessible to a customer server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signature repository is part of the customer host.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the customer update signature is generated by a customer.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the customer update signature is generated by a customer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer update signature is generated by a customer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the update is a provider update.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the update is a customer update.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer update signature is generated for the update at a customer update processing server, wherein the customer update processing server received the update from a provider server, wherein the customer update signature is communicated to a signature repository accessible to the provider server, and wherein the customer host receives the update and the customer update signature from the provider server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer update signature is generated for the update at a customer update processing server, wherein the customer update processing server received the update from a provider server, wherein the customer update signature is communicated to a signature repository accessible to the customer update server, and wherein the customer host receives the update and the customer update signature from the customer update server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the customer update processing server is the provider server.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer update processing server is the provider server.

16. The method of claim 1, further including installing the update on the customer host when the customer signature is correctly verified.

17. The method of claim 1, further including executing the update on the customer host when the customer signature is correctly verified.

18. A system for digitally-signed updates, the system including:

a customer update processing server adapted to generate a customer update signature for an update, wherein the customer update processing server communicates the customer update signature to a server;

a customer host adapted to receive the update and the customer update signature, wherein the customer host is adapted to verify the update based on the customer update signature.

19. A method of verifying a digital signature that is associated with a message, the method including:

decrypting ciphertext information using a decryption algorithm to generate plaintext information; and

verifying that the plaintext information that results from decrypting the ciphertext information exactly matches at least half of the information contained in a message that is associated with a digital signature.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the message is one of programming instructions for a microprocessor, programming instructions for a computer, software, firmware, the contents of a Read Only Memory, the configuration of a Field Programmable Logic Array, byte codes, scripts that can be interpreted or processed to cause an effect programmatically within a computer system, and the contents of a smart card memory.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the message is a cryptographic key.