E-FUSES FOR STORING SECURITY VERSION DATA

• US 20080175381A1
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hoover, Russell D., Hall, William E., Drehmel, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US12/057,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20080175381A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/16 using electrically-fusible links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions

Abstract

Methods and devices that may be utilized in systems to dynamically update a security version parameter used to encrypt secure data are provided. The version may be maintained in persistent storage located on a device implementing the encryption, such as a system on a chip (SOC). The persistent storage does not require battery backing and, thus, the cost and complexity associated with conventional systems utilizing battery backed storage may be reduced.

Claims

1. A device for encrypting blocks of data to be stored in memory external to the device, comprising:

first persistent storage elements for storing a security version parameter;

second persistent storage elements for storing master key data;

an encryption engine configured to encrypt secure blocks of data to be stored in the external memory, wherein at least one of;

the encrypted secure blocks or an integrity check value generated therefore are affected by the security version parameter; and

a mechanism for modifying the first persistent storage elements to update the security version parameter without modifying previously modified first persistent storage elements.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first persistent storage elements comprise electrically programmable fuses.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the second persistent storage elements comprise electrically programmable fuses.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the second persistent storage elements comprise laser fuses.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a validation component configured to:

validate that a security version parameter used to encrypt a retrieved block of secure data, or generate an integrity check value therefor, is the same as the security version parameter maintained in the first persistent storage elements.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a central processing unit.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device is a central processing unit on a gaming system.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the secure data contains key information used to decrypt a game program.