SECURELY UPGRADING OR DOWNGRADING PLATFORM COMPONENTS

• US 20130212380A1
• Filed: 02/10/2012
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: ACIICMEZ, Onur, BRUTCH, Tasneem
• Granted Patent: US 8,667,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• 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

A method for securely altering a platform component is provided, comprising: assigning certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device; assigning certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server; mutually authenticating a device containing the platform component and the upgrade server; causing the device and the upgrade server to exchange a session key; and providing an alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device using the session key.

Claims

1. A method for securely altering a platform component, comprising:

assigning certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device;

assigning certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server;

mutually authenticating a device containing the platform component and the upgrade server;

causing the device and the upgrade server to exchange a session key during the mutual authenticating; and

providing an alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device using the session key exchanged during the mutual authenticating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alteration is an upgrade.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the alteration is a downgrade.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform component is a processor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform component is one core in a multi-core processor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform component is a discrete or integrated hardware component on the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform component is a firmware or software component on the device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in response to a change in a subscription level, wherein the subscription level defines a component upgrade level and periodic price to be paid for performance matching the component upgrade level.

9. A method for securely altering a platform component, comprising:

generating encryption and digital signature key pairs by an upgrade manager on behalf of a device containing the platform component being altered;

obtaining public encryption and signature verification keys of a provisioning server from a certification authority;

mutually authenticating the device and the provisioning server using the public encryption and signature verification keys;

contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device;

contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server;

sending an alteration request from the upgrade manager to the upgrade server, causing the upgrade server to obtain the upgrade manager'"'"'s certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys from the certification authority;

mutually authenticating the device and the upgrade server;

causing the device and the upgrade server to exchange a session key; and

providing an secure alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device via the upgrade manager using the session key.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the platform component is located in the field.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the method is performed in response to a change in a subscription level, wherein the subscription level defines a component upgrade level and periodic price to be paid for performance matching the component upgrade level.

12. A system comprising:

a device containing a platform component;

an upgrade manager;

a certification authority;

a provisioning server; and

an upgrade server;

wherein the upgrade manager is designed to;

generate encryption and digital signature key pairs by an upgrade manager on behalf of a device containing the platform component being altered;

obtain public encryption and signature verification keys of a provisioning server from a certification authority;

perform one side of mutual authentication between the device and the provisioning server using the public encryption and signature verification keys of the provisioning server;

contact the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device;

contact the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server;

send an alteration request from the upgrade manager to the upgrade server, causing the upgrade server to obtain the upgrade manager'"'"'s certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys from the certification authority;

perform one side of mutual authentication between the device and the upgrade server;

send a session key to the upgrade server; and

receive an alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device using the session key;

wherein the certification authority is designed to;

provide the encryption and signature verification keys of the provisioning server to the upgrade manager;

assign certificates for the device'"'"'s public encryption and signature verification keys; and

assign certificates for the upgrade server'"'"'s public encryption and signature verification keys;

wherein the provisioning server is designed to;

perform the other side of mutual authentication between the device and the provisioning server using the public encryption and signature verification keys of the provisioning server; and

verify the device'"'"'s information; and

wherein the upgrade server is designed to;

obtain the upgrade manager'"'"'s certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys from the certification authority;

perform the other side of mutual authentication between the device and the upgrade server using the upgrade server'"'"'s pubic encryption and signature verification keys;

exchange the session key with the upgrade manager; and

send the alteration to be made to the platform component to the upgrade manager using the session key.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the upgrade manager is located on the device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the device contains:

a secure partition including a secure key store, a secure data store, and native cryptographic functions.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the cryptographic functions include:

a random number generator;

a hash generator;

a cryptographic key generator; and

a digital signature and encryption/decryption engine.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the secure partition is only accessible in a privileged mode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the device further contains a secure monitor designed to determine if the device is in a privileged mode.

18. A system for securely altering a platform component, comprising:

means for generating encryption and digital signature key pairs by an upgrade manager on behalf of a device containing the platform component being altered;

means for obtaining public encryption and signature verification keys of a provisioning server from a certification authority;

means for mutually authenticating the device and the provisioning server using the public encryption and signature verification keys;

means for contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device;

means for contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server;

means for sending an alteration request from the upgrade manager to the upgrade server, causing the upgrade server to obtain the upgrade manager'"'"'s certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys from the certification authority;

means for mutually authenticating the device and the upgrade server;

means for causing the device and the upgrade server to exchange a session key; and

means for providing an secure alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device via the upgrade manager using the session key.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the platform component is a computer processor.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for securely altering a platform component, the method comprising:

generating encryption and digital signature key pairs by an upgrade manager on behalf of a device containing the platform component being altered;

obtaining public encryption and signature verification keys of a provisioning server from a certification authority;

mutually authenticating the device and the provisioning server using the public encryption and signature verification keys;

contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for the device;

contacting, by the upgrade manager, the certification authority for assigned certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys for an upgrade server;

sending an alteration request from the upgrade manager to the upgrade server, causing the upgrade server to obtain the upgrade manager'"'"'s certificates for public encryption and signature verification keys from the certification authority;

mutually authenticating the device and the upgrade server;

causing the device and the upgrade server to exchange a session key; and

providing an secure alteration to be made to the platform component from the upgrade server to the device via the upgrade manager using the session key.

21. The program storage device of claim 20, wherein the platform component is a feature of a hardware component.

22. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the feature is hyperthreading.

23. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the feature is virtualization technology.

24. The program storage device of claim 21, wherein the feature is remote management.