Manufacturing unique devices that generate digital signatures

• US 7,500,272 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Lynn Henry, Wheeler, Anne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise; Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/923,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,766 Days
• Field of Search: 713/171, 726/34, 726/4
• US Class Current: 726/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/0855 involving a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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: G06Q 20/3558 Preliminary personalisation for transfer to user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3676 Balancing accounts
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/388 using mutual authentication without cards, e.g. challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/403 : Solvency checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 : using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 : Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0886 : the card reader being portable for interacting with a POS or ECR in realizing a payment transaction
• 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: G07F 7/1016 : Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/42 : Anonymization, e.g. involving pseudonyms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 : Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 : for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 : Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 : involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures

Abstract

A method of manufacturing devices that generate digital signatures such that each device may be reliably and uniquely identified includes creating a public-private key pair within each device during manufacture; exporting only the public key from the device; retaining the private key within the device against the possibility of divulgement thereof by the device; and securely linking said exported public key with other information within the environment of the manufacture of the device, whereby each device is securely bound with its respective public key. A database of PuK-linked account information of users is maintained. The PuK-linked account information for each user includes a public key of such a device; information securely linked with the public key during manufacture; and third-party account identifiers, each of which identifies an account to a third-party of the user maintained with the third-party that has been associated with the user'"'"'s public key by the third-party.

Claims

1. A method of providing devices that generate digital signatures such that each device may be reliably and uniquely identified by a third party that receives an electronic message generated by a device and utilizes the electronic message for a message authentication, comprising the steps of:

a. manufacturing in a secure environment a device that generates a digital signature utilizing a private key of a public-private key pair;

b. creating a public-private key pair in the device while the device is still within the secure environment, the private key for utilization in generating a digital signature for an electronic message, the public key exportable for use by third parties in connection with authenticating the electronic message;

c. storing the private key within the device utilizing security features to safeguard the private key against divulgement thereof by the device;

d. securely linking the public key with other information, the other information including the security features, by storing the public key and the other information in a database within the secure environment; and

e. releasing the device from the secure environment for use in connection with generating a digitally signed electronic message that is provided by a user of the device to a third party;

whereby the other information and security features securely linked with the public key and stored in the database within the secure environment are used by the third party to authenticate the electronic message received by the third party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each public-private key pair is created within each device based on a random number produced by a random number generator disposed within each device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each digital signature generated by each device is a random number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the other information comprises respective security features and a manufacturing history of each device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying a particular manufactured device by authenticating a message using one of a plurality of public keys in the database within the secure environment, a digital signature for the message having been generated by the particular manufactured device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the public key and the other information linked therewith is obtained by the third party from a Secure Entity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the other information stored in the database includes the identity of a plurality of third-parties with which an account is maintained, the accounts being identified by one of a plurality of third-party account identifiers.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the public key, the other information, and the security features are indexed in the database by unique account identifiers such that the public key, the other information, and the security features for a user are retrievable from the database based on the account identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, Wherein the public key is the unique account identifier.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the public key, the other information, and the security features stored in the database for each user further includes user-specific information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user-specific information includes the name and address of the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of establishing an account on behalf of a user of a device with a third-party by communicating the public key of the device, the other information, and the security features linked with the public key from the database to the third-party.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the public key of the device, the other information, and the security features linked with the public key are communicated to a third party upon the request of the third-party.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of updating the public key of a user maintained with at least two independent third-parties with a new public key of the user, comprising the steps of:

a. receiving an EC, the EC including an account identifier and a message including the new public key and a digital signature therefore;

b. authenticating the message of the EC using the public key associated with the account in the database identified by the account identifier, and upon successful authentication thereof; and

c. sending an EC to each of the third-parties, each EC including the new public key and the third-party account identifier for the respective third-party maintained in the database and associated with the account identified by the account identifier.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of digitally signing a message involving the new public key of the user and a third-party account identifier.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of sending the PC received from the user to each of the third-parties.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the security features are selected from the group including but not limited to:

electronic shielding, zeroization, auditing, tamper evidence, authentication capabilities, and/or tamper response.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the authentication capabilities include use of an initialization PIN by the user of the device before the device may be used.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the authentication capabilities include use of a personalization PIN by the user of the device each time the device is used.