METHOD OF TRANSMITTING MESSAGES BETWEEN DISTRIBUTED AUTHORIZATION SERVER AND CONDITIONAL ACCESS MODULE AUTHENTICATION SUB-SYSTEM IN RENEWABLE CONDITIONAL ACCESS SYSTEM, AND RENEWABLE CONDITIONAL ACCESS SYSTEM HEADEND

• US 20160165279A1
• Filed: 11/17/2015
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Koo, Han-Seung
• Application Number:
  US14/943,307
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165279A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

A Renewable Conditional Access System (RCAS) headend of an RCAS and a method of transmitting messages between a Distributed Authorization Center (DAC) and a Conditional Access Module (CAM) Authentication module Sub-System (CASS) included in the RCAS headend. The method of transmitting messages between a DAC and a CASS includes: transmitting, by a CASS, a subscription message for a subscription request to a DAC when receiving a subscription request from a Set-Top Box (STB); processing, by the DAC, the subscription of the STB based on the subscription message received from the CASS; and transmitting, by the DAC, a response message including security parameters to the CASS.

Claims

1. A method of transmitting messages between a Distributed Authorization Center (DAC) and a Conditional Access Module (CAM) Authentication module Sub-System (CASS) in a Renewable Conditional Access System (RCAS) headend of an RCAS, the method comprising:

transmitting, by a CASS, a subscription message for a subscription request to a DAC when receiving a subscription request from a Set-Top Box (STB);

processing, by the DAC, subscription of the STB based on the subscription message received from the CASS; and

transmitting, by the DAC, a response message including security parameters to the CASS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the subscription message comprises an ID corresponding to the CASS and a key pairing ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the key pairing ID is generated by concatenating an ID of a CAM of the STB and an ID of a descrambler of the STB.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein processing the subscription of the STB comprises:

validating a pairing between the CAM and the descrambler based on the key pairing ID; and

performing authentication of the STB based on a result of the validation of the pairing.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein validating the pairing comprises performing validation based on whether the ID of the CAM and the ID of the descrambler are present in a database of the DAC.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting the response message comprises transmitting the response message including the result of the authentication.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein transmitting the response message comprises transmitting the response message including a key pairing key when the pairing has been successfully validated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the response message comprises transmitting the response message including a value signature of a signature of the key pairing key.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the subscription message and the response message is defined in an ASN.1 syntax format.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the subscription message and the response message have different message type values.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the security parameters comprise any one or more of a result of authentication of the STB, values adapted to generate a session key, a key pairing key, and a value signature of a signature of the key pairing key.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the values adapted to generate a session key comprise any one or more of a random value assigned to the STB by the DAC, and a Kc value calculated based on the random value and a Ki value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the Ki value is a number generated by a Centralized Authorization Center (CAC) corresponding to the STB, and a value inserted into a CAM of the STB.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the random value assigned to the STB by the DAC is a value generated by the DAC and inserted into a CAM of the STB.

15. A Renewable Conditional Access System (RCAS) headend of an RCAS, comprising:

a Conditional Access Module (CAM) Authentication module Sub-System (CASS) configured to transmit a subscription message adapted to transfer a subscription request to a Distributed Authorization Center (DAC) when receiving a subscription request from a Set-Top Box (STB); and

the DAC configured to process subscription of the STB based on the subscription message received from the CASS, and to transmit a response message including security parameters to the CASS.

16. The RCAS headend of claim 15, wherein the subscription message comprises an ID corresponding to the CASS and a key pairing ID.

17. The RCAS headend of claim 16, wherein the key pairing ID is generated by concatenating an ID of a CAM of the STB and an ID of a descrambler of the STB.

18. The RCAS headend of claim 17, wherein the DAC is further configured to validate a pairing between the CAM and the descrambler based on the key pairing ID, and to perform authentication of the STB based on a result of the validation of the pairing.

19. The RCAS headend of claim 18, wherein the DAC is further configured to transmit the response message including a key pairing key and a value signature of a signature of the key pairing key.

20. The RCAS headend of claim 19, wherein each of the subscription message and the response message is defined in an ASN.1 syntax format.