CARD SLOT ANTI-TAMPER PROTECTION SYSTEM

• US 20080134349A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Dalzell, William J., Tucker, James L., Fleischman, Scott G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,075 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings

Abstract

A secure insert comprises a shell including a lid and a container configured to receive and encase one or more circuit cards, wherein the shell is further configured to be inserted into and engage a card slot area of a chassis. A bridge connector is disposed inside the shell and configured to couple the one or more circuit cards to a chassis connector. A tamper sensor is disposed inside the shell and configured to detect unauthorized tamper events.

Claims

1. A secure insert comprising:

a shell including a lid and a container configured to receive and encase one or more circuit cards, wherein the shell is further configured to be inserted into and engage a card slot area of a chassis;

a bridge connector disposed inside the shell and configured to couple the one or more circuit cards to a chassis connector; and

a tamper sensor disposed inside the shell and configured to detect unauthorized tamper events.

2. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein the shell is comprised of one or more of a composite material, a metal, or a ceramic material.

3. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein the tamper sensor comprises one of a fiber optic matrix or an electrical sensor configured to detect changes in electrical characteristics.

4. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein the tamper sensor lines a surface of an inner portion of the lid and an inner portion of one or more walls of the container.

5. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein the tamper sensor is disposed between an inner portion and an outer portion of the lid, and an inner portion and an outer portion of one or more walls of the container.

6. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein one or more walls of the container are configured to conform to the shape of chassis card slot posts in a card slot area of a chassis.

7. The secure insert of claim 1, wherein the shell includes a plurality of card slot posts disposed in the container to hold the one or more circuit cards in place.

8. The secure insert of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring circuit coupled to the tamper sensor, wherein the monitoring circuit is configured to control a response to a detected tamper event in order to protect sensitive data on the one or more circuit cards.

9. An electronic system comprising:

at least one circuit card;

a chassis configured to house the at least one circuit card, wherein the chassis includes at least one connector configured to electrically couple to the at least one circuit card; and

a secure insert comprising;

a shell including a lid and a container configured to receive and encase one or more of the at least one circuit cards, wherein the shell is further configured to be inserted into and engage a card slot area of the chassis;

a bridge connector disposed inside the shell and configured to couple the one or more circuit cards to the chassis connector; and

a tamper sensor disposed inside the shell and configured to detect unauthorized tamper events.

10. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the shell is comprised of one or more of a composite material, a metal, or a ceramic material.

11. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the tamper sensor comprises one of a fiber optic matrix or an electrical sensor configured to detect changes in electrical characteristics.

12. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the tamper sensor lines a surface of an inner portion of the lid and an inner portion of one or more walls of the container.

13. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the tamper sensor is disposed between an inner portion and an outer portion of the lid and an inner portion and an outer portion of one or more walls of the container.

14. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein one or more walls of the shell are configured to conform to the shape of chassis card slot posts in the card slot area of the chassis.

15. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the shell includes a plurality of card slot posts disposed in the container to hold the one or more cards in place.

16. The electronic system of claim 9, wherein the secure chassis insert further comprises a monitoring circuit coupled to the tamper sensor, wherein the monitoring circuit is configured to control a response to a detected tamper event in order to protect sensitive data on the one or more circuit cards.

17. A secure insert comprising:

a shell including a lid and a container configured to receive and encase one or more circuit cards, wherein one or more walls of the container are configured to conform to the shape of chassis card slot posts in a card slot area of a chassis;

a bridge connector disposed inside the shell and configured to couple the one or more circuit cards to a chassis connector; and

a tamper sensor disposed inside the shell, wherein the tamper sensor is configured to detect unauthorized tamper events.

18. The secure insert of claim 17, wherein the shell is comprised of one of a composite material, a metal, or a ceramic material.

19. The secure insert of claim 17, wherein the tamper sensor comprises one of a fiber optic matrix or an electrical sensor configured to detect changes in electrical characteristics

20. The secure insert of claim 17, wherein the tamper sensor is disposed between an inner portion and an outer portion of the lid, and an inner portion and an outer portion of one or more walls of the container.