Method For Securely Communicating Information About The Location Of A Compromised Computing Device

• US 20090228981A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Hofmann, Richard Gerard, Shirlen, Martyn Ryan
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/23
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/55 Detecting local intrusion or implementing counter-measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/73 by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002

Abstract

A method for securely reporting location information after an attack on a computing device is presented. Such information may be reported to a requesting entity in a manner almost transparent to an attacker. Several exemplary embodiments of systems wherein the method may be used are presented.

Claims

1. A method of securely communicating location information from a computing device, comprising:

a. receiving a location request from a requesting entity;

b. acquiring location information at the computing device;

c. forming a response based on the location information and at least a portion of a hardware key; and

d. providing the response to the requesting entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the response comprises mathematically transforming the portion of a hardware key and at least a portion of the location information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mathematical transformation is a one-way hash function.

4. A method of securely receiving information about a location of a computing device at a requesting entity, comprising:

a. forming a location request at the requesting entity;

b. providing the location request to the computing device;

c. receiving a response from the computing device based on the location of the computing device and at least a portion of a hardware key; and

d. determining the location of the computing device from the response.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the location request at the requesting entity is formed only if the requesting entity determines that the computing device has been attacked.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the location request at the requesting entity is formed only if the requesting entity determines that an attack on the computing device is of a serious nature.