SMART GRID DEVICE AUTHENTICITY VERIFICATION

• US 20120173873A1
• Filed: 01/04/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grid Net
• Original Assignee: Grid Net
• Inventors: Bell, Ray, Street, Stephen, Bell, Will
• Application Number:
  US12/984,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20120173873A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/572 Secure firmware programming, e.g. of basic input output system [BIOS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

Methods and articles of manufacture are provided. Some embodiments are directed to smart grid device authenticity verification. In an exemplary embodiment a method is provided that generates a firmware package image for a device. The method goes on to manufacture a microcontroller using the image. A ship file is then generated with unique data associated to the device. A board is then manufactured and a board ship file generated. The device is then authenticated on a network using the two ship files and the firmware image. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A smart grid device manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:

generating a manufacturing firmware package image for the smart grid device;

manufacturing a micro-controller using the manufacturing firmware package image;

generating a micro-controller ship file containing unique device identity data for the device;

manufacturing a board using the manufactured micro-controller;

generating a board ship file containing unique device identity data, board data, and encryption data;

manufacturing a box for the smart grid device using the manufactured board; and

authenticating the smart grid device to a smart grid network using the micro-controller ship file, the board ship file, and the manufacturing firmware package image.

2. The smart grid device of claim 1, wherein the manufacturing firmware package image includes smart grid firmware and operating system, and first digital certificate data.

3. The smart grid device of claim 1, wherein the smart grid firmware and operating system are signed with a code signing digital certificate.

4. The smart grid device of claim 1, wherein the authenticating step includes directing the smart grid device to a registration authority to obtain a certificate.

5. The smart grid device of claim 4, wherein the registration authority receives a certificate signing request from the smart grid device.

6. The smart grid device of claim 5, wherein the certificate signing request includes a digital signature, and the registration authority confirms the digital signature.

7. The smart grid device of claim 4, wherein the smart grid device receives the certificate and transmits a confirmation message to the registration authority verifying the smart grid device'"'"'s possession of the smart grid device'"'"'s private key.

8. The smart grid device of claim 4, wherein the smart grid device authenticates to the smart grid network using the certificate.

9. A method for authenticating a device to a network, the method comprising:

receiving a micro-controller ship file from a micro-controller manufacturing facility, the micro-controller ship file containing unique device identity data;

storing contents of the micro-controller ship file in a storage device;

receiving a board ship file from a board manufacturing facility, the board ship file containing unique device identity data, board data, and first encryption data;

storing contents of the board ship file in the storage device; and

authenticating the device to the network using the micro-controller ship file and the board ship file.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first encryption data includes board ship file public key and digital signature.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein secure memory of the smart grid device stores a manufacturing firmware package image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the manufacturing firmware package image includes smart grid firmware and operating system, and first digital certificate data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the smart grid firmware and operating system are signed with a code signing digital certificate.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the authenticating step includes directing the smart grid device to a registration authority to obtain a certificate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the registration authority receives a certificate singing request from the smart grid device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the certificate signing request includes a digital signature, and the registration authority confirms the digital signature.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the smart grid device receives the certificate and transmits a confirmation message to the registration authority verifying the smart grid device'"'"'s possession of the smart grid device'"'"'s private key.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the smart grid device authenticates to the smart grid network using the certificate.

19. A smart grid device manufactured by a process comprising the steps of:

generating a manufacturing firmware package image for the smart grid device, the manufacturing firmware package image including smart grid firmware and operating system, and first digital certificate data;

manufacturing a micro-controller using the manufacturing firmware package image;

generating a micro-controller ship file containing unique device identity data for the smart grid device;

manufacturing a board using the manufactured micro-controller;

generating a board ship file containing unique device identity data, board data, and encryption data;

manufacturing a box for the smart grid device using the manufactured board;

authenticating the smart grid device to a smart grid network using the micro-controller ship file, the board ship file, and a certificate generated by a certificate authority upon request from the smart grid device; and

wherein the certificate request from the smart grid device includes the unique device identity, a smart grid device private key, and a digital signature.

20. The smart grid device of claim 19, wherein the smart grid device generates the smart grid device private key and a smart grid device public key.