METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTION OF TAMPERING, UNAUTHORIZED USE, AND UNAUTHORIZED EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION FROM MICRODEVICES

• US 20100064371A1
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Sciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Andrew N. Mostovych
• Inventors: Mostovych, Andrew N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,332,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

The present invention considers a method and an apparatus where a secure stand-alone microdevice or a microdevice as part of a larger processing device is arranged for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from one or more information containing regions of the secured microdevice by controlled obliteration of the information in the information containing region. The method implements control protocols and hardware which monitor the conditions of secured microdevices and generate commands to trigger said controlled obliteration of information; establishes a local energy storage device which stores energy to be used to perform said controlled obliteration of information; establishes localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevices upon generation of a command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information; and maintains conditions for controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage upon generation of a command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information for the duration of time necessary to achieve desired controlled obliteration of said information.

Claims

1. A method for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from at least one information containing region of a secured microdevice in a processing device by controlled obliteration of said information comprising the following steps:

(a) implementing control protocols and hardware which generate commands to trigger said controlled obliteration of information;

(b) establishing a local energy storage device which stores energy to be used to perform said controlled obliteration of information;

(c) establishing localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevices upon generation of a command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information;

(d) maintaining conditions for controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage upon generation of a command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information for the duration of time necessary to achieve desired controlled obliteration of said information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deposition of stored energy in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevices is maintained for a period of time shorter than the time needed for the heat from the energy released in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevice to diffuse through the volume of the information containing regions of said secured microdevice.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by an extraneous control signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by an internal clock signal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by signals interpreted to be indicators of tampering and unauthorized extraction of information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information contained in the information containing region of the secured microdevice is at least in part in the form of a structure of the secured microdevice'"'"'s architecture formed during fabrication of the secured microdevices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information contained in the information containing region of the secured microdevice is at least in part in the data and data residues incorporated in the information containing region'"'"'s constitutive materials during the programming and utilization of the secured microdevice.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the local energy storage stores the energy in the form of localized electromagnetic fields.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the local energy storage comprises at least one capacitor and a circuit that couples the stored energy to a pulse power system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the circuit that couples the stored energy includes an electrical switching device that performs a switching operation after receiving an external command to perform said controlled obliteration of information.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the electrical switching device is operated in self-switching mode.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing a separate dissipative load structure, performed after step (b) and before step (c) of claim 1, where the local energy storage is coupled to the dissipative load structure arranged in the proximity of a portion of an active volume of the secured microdevice targeted for controlled obliteration of information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is arranged to be embedded in matter having a density of more than 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the separate dissipative load structure comprises at least one resistor positioned in the proximity of the portion of the information containing region of the secured microdevice that is targeted for controlled obliteration of information and at least one conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents in direct contact with the said resistor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents is directly connected to a dedicated connector arranged to conduct high power discharge currents when energized by the energy from the local energy storage device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned between the information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned in proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein conditions for the controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage are maintained so as that at least two chargings of the local energy storage and subsequent discharging of the stored electromagnetic energy in the proximity of the secured microdevice are performed to achieve the controlled obliteration of information.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the local energy storage is located in the proximity of the secured microdevice and comprises at least one energetic composition arranged to support an exothermic chemical reaction after ignition initiated by signals generated by the control hardware.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the energetic composition is thermite.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the energetic composition is incorporated into a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the energetic composition is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice and an attachment supporting the secured microdevice into the processing device.

25. An apparatus for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from at least one information containing region of a secured microdevice in a processing device by controlled obliteration of said information comprising:

(a) control hardware arranged to generate commands to trigger said controlled obliteration of information;

(b) a local energy storage device which stores energy to be used to perform said controlled obliteration of information;

(c) a circuit for localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice upon generation of a command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the deposition of stored energy in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevices is maintained for a period of time shorter than the time needed for the heat from the energy released in the proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice to diffuse through the volume of the information containing region of said secured microdevice.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the local energy storage comprises at least one capacitor and a circuit to couple the stored energy to a pulse power system.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of stored energy comprises a separate dissipative load structure incorporated in the secured microdevice.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the separate dissipative load structure comprises at least one resistor positioned in the proximity of the portion of the information containing region of the secured microdevice targeted for controlled obliteration of information and at least one conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents in direct contact with the said resistor.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents is directly connected to a dedicated connector arranged to conduct high power discharge currents when energized by the energy from the local energy storage device.

31. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

32. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

33. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned between the information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

34. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned in proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

35. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein at least one separate dissipative load structure is arranged to form a load carrier and the load carrier is positioned between the information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

36. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein at least one separate dissipative load structure is arranged to form a load carrier and the load carrier is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice, in proximity of the information containing region, and a supporting structure that supports the secured microdevice.

37. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the local energy storage further comprises at least one Marx Generator charged by a high voltage power supply and is switched by an electrical switching device.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the Marx Generator is operated in a self-break-down mode.

39. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage device in the proximity of the secured microdevices comprises a transmission line for conduction of electric energy from the local energy storage device to the proximity of the semiconductor secured microdevices.

40. A secured microdevice for use in a processing device that is resistant to tampering and unauthorized use and unauthorized extraction of information comprising:

at least one information containing region with a structure organized to store and process information, a protective housing with at least one inner and outer surface, contact connectors and associated conduits for conduction of information, and an assembly for localized controlled release of energy in the proximity of the information containing region for controlled obliteration of information contained in the information containing region.

41. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy comprises at least one discharge electrode incorporated in the secured microdevice protective housing for initiation and support of electrical discharge between said electrode and predetermined portions of the information containing region.

42. The secured microdevice of claim 41, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy comprises at least one discharge locus that protrudes from the predetermined portion of the information containing region toward at least one discharge electrode incorporated in the secured microdevice protective housing for initiation and support of electrical discharge between said electrode and the protruding discharge locus.

43. The secured microdevice of claim 40, comprising at least one connector with an associated conductor arranged to present a conduction path to conduct high power discharge current to parts of the processing device.

44. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy in the proximity of the information containing region includes at least one separate dissipative load structure.

45. The secured microdevice of claim 44, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

46. The secured microdevice of claim 44, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

47. The secured microdevice of claim 44, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is positioned between the information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

48. The secured microdevice of claim 44, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and is positioned in proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

49. The secured microdevice of claim 44, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice and the means for supporting the secured microdevice into the processing device.

50. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy comprises at least one volume of energetic composition arranged to support an exothermic chemical reaction after the localized controlled release of energy.

51. The secured microdevice of claim 50, wherein the energetic composition is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

52. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the secured microdevice is a self-secured microdevice comprising a self-securing subsystem that integrates at least a controller, local energy storage, and an internal power supply.

53. The secured microdevice of claim 52, wherein the self-securing subsystem is connected to a load carrier arranged in proximity of the information containing region.