Point of sale (POS) terminal security system

• US 6,646,565 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2000
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hypercom Corporation (Verifone Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Grenfell, Jack R., DeBruin, Raymond A., Hanley, David C., Fu, Shuzhen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US09/586,678
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 340/687, 340/686.1, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/573.4, 340/590, 340/550, 235/384, 235/385, 235/380, 705/18, 705/64, 705/568.7, 705/568.1, 705/568.2, 705/568.4, 705/638, 705/639, 705/652, 705/649, 361/600, 361/748
• US Class Current: 340/687
• 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: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/082 Features insuring the integrity of the data on or in the card
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/032 Anti-tamper
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0275 Security details, e.g. tampering prevention or detection
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/144 Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10378 Interposers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/2018 Presence of a frame in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A security system for electronic circuits (e.g. electronic circuits contained within a secure POS terminal) is provided that is both more tamper resistant, and tamper responsive and less expensive than the prior art epoxy potting. This is achieved by inserting an electrical connector between a first and a second circuit board contained within a case of the POS terminal. The first and the second circuit boards are any type of circuit board known in the art, including both not limited to, rigid circuit boards, flexible circuit boards, printed circuit boards, etc. If the case is opened the connector no longer provides an electrical connection between the first and the second circuit boards, triggering a tamper detection circuit. In some embodiments of the invention, a flexible conductive film is wrapped around the circuit boards and the connector. If a tamperer attempts to penetrate the case of the POS terminal to disable the tamper detection circuit, the circuit on the flexible security film is interrupted, in turn triggering the tamper detection circuit.

Claims

1. A security system for an electrical circuit, the system comprising:

a first circuit board;

a second circuit board;

a protective casing interposed between the first and the second circuit boards; and

a flexible conductive film wrapped around the protective casing, wherein the tamper detection circuit detects whether the integrity of the flexible conductive file has been compromised

a first electrical connector in contact with the first and the second circuit boards; and

a tamper detection circuit connected to the first electrical connector, wherein the tamper detection circuit deteacts whether the first electrical connector is in contact with both the first and the second circuit boards.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein the flexible conductive film is connected to the first electrical connector.

3. The security system of claim 1, further comprising a second electrical connector in contact with the first and the second circuit boards.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first circuit board further comprises contact pads that provide an electrical path between the first circuit board and the first electrical connector during operation of the electronic circuit.

5. The security system of claim 1, wherein the second circuit board further comprises contact pads that provide an electrical path between the second circuit board and the first electrical connector during operation of the electronic circuit.

6. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector comprises an elastomeric material.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical connector comprises a conductive layer of silicone.

8. The security system of claim 7, wherein the conductive layer of silicone contains carbon fibers.

10. The security system of claim 1, wherein the tamper detect circuit comprises a voltage comparator.

11. The security system of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible conductive film printed on the outside of the protective casing, wherein the tamper deflection circuit detects whether the integrity of the flexible conductive film has been compromised.

12. The security system of claim 11, wherein the flexible conductive film is connected to the first electrical connector.

13. The security system of claim 1, wherein the security system is part of a secure POS terminal.

9. The security system of claim , wherein the first electrical connector further comprises a non-conductive layer of silicone.

14. A method for securing information in an electronic circuit, the method comprising:

monitoring a current through a circuit coupled to a tamper detect circuit, the circuit comprising a first circuit board and a second circuit board and a protective casing disposed between the first and second circuit boards; and

a flexible conductive wrapped around the protective casing; and

wherein the method further comprises detecting whether the integrity of the flexible conductive film has been compromised;

a first electrical connector in contact with the first and the second circuit boards;

determining based on the monitoring whether the electronic circuit is being tampered with; and

erasing and/or corrupting information stored in the electronic circuit in response to detecting tampering with the electronic circuit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the circuit further comprises:

a first electrical connector in contact with the first and the second circuit boards; and

wherein the tamper detection circuit is coupled to the first electrical connector and detects whether the first electrical connector is in contact with both the first and the second circuit boards.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the circuit further comprises a second electrical connector in contact with the first and the second circuit boards.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first circuit board further comprises contact pads that provide an electrical path between the first circuit board and the first electrical connector during operation of the electronic circuit.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the second circuit board further comprises contact pads that provide an electrical path between the second circuit board and the first electrical connector during operation of the electronic circuit.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrical connector comprises an elastomeric material.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the conductive layer of silicone contains carbon fibers.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the first electrical connector further comprises a non-conductive layer of silicone.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the first electrical connector comprises a conductive layer of silicone.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the flexible conductive film is connected to the first electrical connector.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the tamper detect circuit comprises a voltage comparator to determine whether the electronic circuit is being tampered with.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

disconnecting a memory storing the information from a power source; and

grounding the memory power input.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic circuit is part of a secure POS terminal.