System with access keys

• US 20080288786A1
• Filed: 06/07/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Biogy, Inc.
• Inventors: Fiske, Michael Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/157,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288786A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/190
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying

Abstract

In an embodiment, a secure module is provided that provides access keys to an unsecured system. In an embodiment, the secure module may generate passcodes and supply the passcodes to the unsecured system. In an embodiment, the access keys are sent to the unsecured system after the receiving the passcode from the unsecured system. In an embodiment, after authenticating the passcode, the secure module does not store the passcode in its memory. In an embodiment, the unsecured module requires the access key to execute a set of instructions or another entity. In an embodiment, the unsecured system does not store access keys. In an embodiment, the unsecured system erases the access key once the unsecured system no longer requires the access key. In an embodiment, the unsecured system receives a new passcode to replace the stored passcode after using the stored passcode. Each of these embodiments may be used separately.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more machine-readable media being for carrying at least information that is not in transit, the machine readable media storing thereon

one or more instructions for performing one or more tasks, the one or more instructions being instructions that are not performed as part of an initialization, wherein the one or more perform at least one of the one or more task if an access key is provided;

wherein the system does not store the access key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor for carrying out the one or more instructions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium also stores thereon a passcode.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the machine-readable medium stores thereon instructions for receiving a new passcode, and replacing the passcode stored with the new passcode.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more tasks include at least encryption.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein

the machine-readable medium stores one or more instructions for decrypting the access key received, and

the one or more instructions for performing require the access key after the access key has been decrypted.

9. The system of claim 1,

storing on the machine readable medium

a passcode,

one or more instructions for receiving an encryption key,

one or more instructions for causing the processor to perform one or more tasks including encryption, wherein the instructions require the access key, and

a method for generating a new passcode from the access key.

10. The system of claim 1, the system being configured to use only one access key.

13. The system of claim 1, the system being an unsecured system not having physical features inhibiting reading from and writing to the system.

14. The system of claim 1, the system being an unsecured system not lacking standard software features that enable reading from and writing to the system.

15. The system of claim 1, the system being configured to allow an end user, without administrative authority, to execute the one or more instructions.

16. The system of claim 1, the one or more instructions requiring a new encryption key each time an end user requests to perform the one or more tasks;

the system does not store the new encryption key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions.

17. The system of claim 16, a period of time exists between storing a prior new encryption key and a current new encryption in which no encryption key is stored in the system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the access key is stored for only a short amount of time, so that it is unlikely that a hacker would get a chance to copy the access key.

19. The system of claim 1,

the machine readable medium also stores thereon

a passcode,

one or more instructions for receiving an encryption key, and

a method for generating the passcode based on the access key;

the one or more instructions being instructions that are not performed as part of an initialization;

the one or more instructions including at least

one or more instruction for

decrypting the access key, and

reading the access key after the access key has been decrypted, instructions for

receiving a new passcode, and

replacing the passcode stored with the new passcode, and

the instructions for receiving and requiring a new encryption key

each time an end user requests to perform the one or more tasks,

the system does not store the new encryption key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions, and

a period of time exists between storing a prior new encryption key and a current new encryption in which no encryption key is store in the system;

the one or more tasks include at least encryption;

the system further comprising a processor for carrying out the one or more instructions and the method;

the system being configured to

use only one access key,

use only one encryption key, and

allow an end user, without administrative authority, to execute the one or more instructions; and

the system being an unsecured system that

does not have physical features inhibiting reading from and writing to the system, and

does lack standard software features that enable reading from and writing to the system.

4. A system comprising:

one or more machine readable media for carrying at least information that is not in transit, the machine readable media storing thereon

one or more instructions for performing one or more tasks, wherein the one or more instructions perform at least one of the one or more tasks if an access key is provided;

wherein the system does not store the access key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions

wherein the machine readable medium also stores thereon a passcode; and

wherein the machine readable medium stores thereon a method for generating the passcode based on the access key.

11. The system of claim 4, the system being configured to use only one passcode.

12. The system of claim 4, the system being configured to use only one passcode and only one access key.

8. A system comprising:

a processor, and

one or more machine-readable media for carrying information that is not in transit, the machine readable media storing thereon

a passcode,

one or more instructions for receiving an encryption key,

one or more instructions for causing the processor to perform one or more tasks related to encryption, the one or more instructions being instructions that are not performed as part of an initialization,

wherein the instructions require the encryption key, and

a method for generating the passcode from the encryption key;

wherein the system does not store the encryption key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions.

20. A new system comprising:

one or more machine readable media, which are volatile or nonvolatile memory, storing thereon

one or more instructions for invoking a user-implemented setup phase,

one or more instructions for performing one or more task, the one or more instructions being instructions that are not performed as part of the setup phase, wherein the one or more instructions perform at least one of the one or more tasks if an access key is provided;

wherein the system does not store the access key after executing the one or more instructions or prior to executing the one or more instructions.