ENTITY-IDENTITY BASED SECURITY PROCUREMENT OF COMPUTER FILES THAT ARE DOWNLOADABLE TO AN AIRCRAFT, METHOD OF AUTHENTICATION, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEM AND AIRCRAFT

• US 20090106560A1
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: CHOPART, Stephane
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/189
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3073 involving pairings, e.g. identity based encryption [IBE], bilinear mappings or bilinear pairings, e.g. Weil or Tate pairing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

The present invention relates in general to the security of computer files installed on board an aircraft and in particular to the mechanisms with which the authenticity thereof, or in other words the origin and integrity, can be guaranteed.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for processing an operating computer file (100) of an equipment item installed on board an aircraft (110), especially for ensuring the security thereof, the method comprising the digital signature of the said computer file by means of a least one first private key (124, 124′), the said first private key being generated according to a scheme based on the identity (122, 122′) of a first entity (120, 120′).

The method may also comprise the multiple signature of data and/or the generation of composite private keys from a plurality of dedicated key generating centers.

The invention is also aimed at a system and a corresponding method for authentication as well as an aircraft equipped with such a system.

The invention is applicable to commercial and private civil aviation.

Claims

1. A method for processing an operating computer file (100) of an equipment item installed on board an aircraft (110), the method comprising the digital signature of the said computer file by means of a least one first private key (124, 124′

), the said first private key being generated according to a scheme based on the identity (122, 122′

) of a first entity (120, 120′

).

2. A processing method according to claim 1, comprising the digital signature of the computer file signed (150, 150′

) by at least one second private key (124′

) generated according to a scheme based on the identity (122′

) of a second entity (120′

).

3. A processing method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a preliminary step of generation of a private key (124) composed of at least two partial keys (124-a, 124-b), each generated according to a scheme based on the identity (122) of the entity (120) corresponding to the private key (124), and each generated by a different server (130, 130′

).

4. A processing method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the generation of a private key (124, 124′

) of an entity (120) comprises bringing the identity of the entity into conformity with a convention.

5. A processing method according to the preceding claim, wherein the said convention comprises the addition, to the said identity, of an information item decorrelated from the said identity.

6. A method for authenticating an operating computer file (100) of an equipment item installed on board an aircraft (110), the said computer file (100) being signed (150, 150′

) by a first entity (120, 120′

), the method comprising a step of verification of the signature of the said file signed (150, 150′

) from a first public key (122, 122′

, 1220) determined according to a scheme based on the identity of the said first entity (120, 120′

).

7. An authentication method according to the preceding claim, comprising a preliminary step of determination of the first public key (122, 122′

, 1220), effected on board the said aircraft (110).

8. An authentication method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the said computer file (100) is signed by means of a plurality of private keys (124, 124′

) generated according to a scheme based on the identity of a plurality of entities, and the said public key (1220) is formed from public keys (122, 122′

) determined according to a scheme based on the identity of the plurality of entities (120, 120′

).

9. A system for authenticating an operating computer file (100) of an equipment item installed on board an aircraft (110), the said computer file (100) being signed (150, 150′

) by a first entity (120, 120′

), the system comprising means for verifying the signature of the said file signed (150, 150′

) from a first public key (122, 122′

, 1220) determined according to a scheme based on the identity of the said first entity (120, 120′

).

10. An aircraft (110) comprising an authentication system according to claim 9.