METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED USE OF COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20100317320A1
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: SAKARGAYAN, Anupam
• Granted Patent: US 8,204,475 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

Methods and devices for preventing unauthorized use of mobile devices allow users to create a mobile device identification number (MDIN) which must be entered before mobile devices can access a new removable memory unit. Upon activation a mobile device may check an identifier of an installed removable memory unit to determine if the memory unit has been changed. If the mobile device determines that the memory unit is new, it may prompt the user to enter the MDIN. If the entry made by the user matches the MDIN stored in secure memory, the mobile device will access the new memory unit and function normally. However, if the entry does not match the MDIN stored in memory the mobile device may not access the new memory unit, thereby denying use of the mobile device. Example removable memory units include Subscriber Identity Modules, Universal Integrated Circuit Cards, and Removable User Identity Modules.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a mobile device from unauthorized use, comprising:

determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device;

prompting a user to enter a mobile device identification number (MDIN) if the removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to a MDIN stored in secure memory of the mobile device; and

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in a secure memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device comprises:

accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier; and

comparing the identifier of the installed removable provisioning data memory unit to a removable provisioning data memory unit identifier previously stored in the secure memory to determine if there is a match.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing the entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

7. A mobile device, comprising:

a processor;

a display coupled to the processor;

a secure memory coupled to the processor; and

a removable data memory unit coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform steps comprising;

determining that the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

generating a prompt on the display prompting a user to enter a mobile device identification number (MDIN) if the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to a MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

accessing the removable memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in secure memory.

8. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

9. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions such that determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device comprises:

accessing the removable memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier; and

comparing the identifier of the installed removable memory unit to a removable provisioning data memory unit identifier previously stored in the secure memory to determine if there is a match.

10. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

11. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

12. The mobile device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured with software instructions to perform further steps comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

generating a prompt on the display prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

13. The mobile device of claim 7, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to connect to a cellular communication network, wherein the processor is further configured to communicate with the cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

14. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

15. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

16. The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).

17. A mobile device, comprising:

means for determining that a removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

means for prompting a user to enter a mobile device identification number (MDIN) if the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

means for comparing an entered MDIN to a MDIN stored in a secure memory of the mobile device; and

means for accessing the removable memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in a secure memory.

18. The mobile device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

means for locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

19. The mobile device of claim 17, wherein means for determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device comprises:

means for accessing the removable provisioning data memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier; and

means for comparing the identifier of the installed removable provisioning data memory unit to a removable provisioning data memory unit identifier previously stored in the secure memory to determine if there is a match.

20. The mobile device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

means for prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

21. The mobile device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

means for prompting the user to enter a MDIN the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

22. The mobile device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for receiving a request to change the MDIN;

means for prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

means for comparing the entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

means for prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

means for storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

23. The mobile device of claim 17, further comprising means for communicating with a cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

24. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

25. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

26. The mobile device of claim 23, wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).

27. A tangible storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor of a mobile device to perform steps comprising:

determining that a removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

prompting a user to enter a mobile device identification number (MDIN) if the removable memory unit is new to the mobile device;

comparing an entered MDIN to a MDIN stored in a secure memory; and

accessing the removable memory unit only if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in secure memory.

28. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

incrementing a counter if the entered MDIN does not match the MDIN stored in secure memory; and

locking at least a portion of the mobile device functionality if the counter exceeds a predetermined limit.

29. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions such that determining that a removable provisioning data memory unit is new to the mobile device comprises:

accessing the removable memory unit installed in the mobile device to obtain an identifier; and

comparing the identifier of the installed removable memory unit to a removable provisioning data memory unit identifier previously stored in the secure memory to determine if there is a match.

30. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

determining if a MDIN is stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN if there is no MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

31. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

determining if the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value;

prompting the user to enter a MDIN the MDIN stored in the secure memory equals a default value; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

32. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising:

receiving a request to change the MDIN;

prompting the user to enter the MDIN;

comparing an entered MDIN to the MDIN stored in the secure memory;

prompting the user to enter a new MDIN if the entered MDIN matches the MDIN stored in the secure memory; and

storing the entered MDIN in the secure memory.

33. The tangible storage medium of claim 27, wherein the tangible storage medium has processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor to perform further steps comprising communicating with a cellular communication network using provisioning data stored in the removable memory unit.

34. The tangible storage medium of claim 33, wherein the removable memory unit is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).

35. The tangible storage medium of claim 33, wherein the removable memory unit is a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC).

36. The tangible storage medium of claim 33, wherein the removable memory unit is a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM).