Method and system for authenticating software

• US 7,707,409 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2004
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KT Corporation
• Original Assignee: KT Corporation
• Inventors: Kwon, Ji-Hun, Yim, Seung-Hyouk, Nam, Gwang-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gelagay, Shewaye
• Application Number:
  US10/971,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20050120209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• Field of Search: 726/29, 713/161
• US Class Current: 713/161
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/71 Hardware identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for authenticating software. One embodiment of the invention provides a system for authenticating software in a mobile terminal, wherein the system is configured to: receive an execution instruction for software installed in the mobile terminal through an inputting means, generate a first error code for the software, extract a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal, generate a first authentication key by combining the mobile terminal identifier and the first error code, and execute the software when the first authentication key corresponds to a second authentication key stored in the mobile terminal. By authenticating the software for a wireless mobile terminal, one embodiment of the invention can prevent unauthorized duplication and execution of the software at the mobile terminal.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating software, the method comprising:

receiving, at the mobile terminal, a download file from a server being in data communication with the mobile terminal, wherein the download file comprises software data and a first error code, and wherein the software data is a data file containing at least a portion of software;

generating a second error code for the software data;

storing the software data on the mobile terminal if the first error code corresponds to the second error code;

generating a first authentication key based on the mobile terminal identifier and the first error code;

receiving, at a mobile terminal, an execution instruction for software installed in the mobile terminal;

generating a third error code for the software, wherein the third error code is configured to determine whether an error has occurred in the installed software;

generating a second authentication key based on a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and the third error code, wherein the mobile terminal identifier includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal;

executing the installed software only if the second authentication key corresponds to the first authentication key stored in the mobile terminal, wherein the installed software is configured to use resources of the mobile terminal; and

after the installed software is executed, controlling the amount of the resources of the mobile terminal which can be used by the installed software based on security level information,

wherein the resources of the mobile terminal comprise at least one of the following;

an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, subscriber information, channel allocation or stability of the mobile terminal and wireless network, a mobile identification number (MIN) of the mobile terminal, the current state of the mobile terminal, a phone call function and a function of sending a short message service (SMS) message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first error code, the second error code, and the third error code is a frame check sequence generated by a CRC method.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first error code, the second error code, and the third error code are a 32 frame check sequence if the software is software for a developer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first error code, the second error code, and the third error code are a 16 frame check sequence if the software is commercial software.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the download file further comprises a header including information associated with the first error code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the download file further comprises first security level information.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal comprises at least one of the following:

a cellular phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a PCS (personal communications service) and other wireless telecommunication device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the second authentication key is generated in the mobile terminal.

7. A method of authenticating software between a server and a mobile terminal communicating data through a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at the server, a download request signal from the mobile terminal, wherein the download request signal includes a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and an identification of software to be downloaded, and wherein the mobile terminal identifier includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal;

identifying the mobile terminal based on the mobile terminal identifier;

determining whether or not the software is authorized to be downloaded to the mobile terminal;

obtaining software data corresponding to the download request signal, wherein the software data is a data file containing at least a portion of the requested software;

generating, an error code for the software data, corresponding to the mobile terminal, wherein the error code is configured to determine whether an error has occurred in the software data;

generating security level information associated with the software, wherein the software is configured to use resources of the mobile terminal, and wherein the security level information, is configured to control, after the software is executed in the mobile terminal, the amount of the resources of the mobile terminal which can be used by the executed software;

generating a download file including the software data, the error code and security level information;

transmitting the download file to the mobile terminal;

generating, at the mobile terminal, a first authentication key based on the mobile terminal identifier and the error code, wherein the software is installed in the mobile terminal; and

executing, at the mobile terminal, the installed software only if the first authentication key corresponds to a second authentication key stored in the mobile terminal,

wherein the generated error code, in combination with the mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal, and an authentication key generated based on the transmitted download file in the mobile terminal, is configured to control the execution of the software at the mobile terminal, and

wherein the resources of the mobile terminal comprise at least one of the following;

an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, subscriber information, channel allocation or stability of the mobile terminal and wireless network, a mobile identification number (MIN) of the mobile terminal, the current state of the mobile terminal, a phone call function and a function of sending a short message service (SMS) message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the error code is a frame check sequence generated by a CRC method.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the software is either software for a developer or commercial software.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the software is software for a developer, the software is downloaded only to a developer mobile terminal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein if the software is commercial software, the error code is a 16 frame check sequence.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein if the software is software for a developer, the error code is a 32 frame check sequence.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating security level information comprises:

generating a configuration information file including the security level information,

wherein the configuration information file is transmitted to the mobile terminal,

and wherein the mobile terminal compares the security level information included within the configuration information file with the security level information included within the download file to check whether an error has occurred in the security level information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the security level information is determined based on the scope of usable resource of the mobile terminal.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the download file further comprises a header including information regarding the generated error code.

17. A system for authenticating software between a server and a mobile terminal communicating data through a network, wherein the system is configured to i) receive a download request signal from the mobile terminal, wherein the download request signal comprises an identification of software to be downloaded, ii) obtain software data corresponding to the download request signal, wherein the software data is a data file containing at least a portion of the requested software, iii) generate an error code, for the software data, corresponding to the mobile terminal, iv) generate security level information associated with the software, wherein the software is configured to use resources of the mobile terminal, and wherein the security level information, after the software is executed in the mobile terminal, is configured to control the amount of the resources of the mobile terminal which can be used by the executed software, v) generate a download file including the software data, the error code and security level information, vi) transmit the download file to the mobile terminal, wherein the error code is configured to determine whether an error has occurred in the software, vii) generate, at the mobile terminal, a first authentication key based on the mobile terminal identifier and the error code, wherein the software is installed in the mobile terminal and viii) execute, at the mobile terminal, the installed software only if the first authentication key corresponds to a second authentication key stored in the mobile terminal,

wherein the generated error code, in combination with a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and an authentication key generated based on the transmitted download file in the mobile terminal, is configured to control the execution of the software at the mobile terminal, wherein the mobile terminal identifier includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, and

wherein the resources of the mobile terminal comprise at least one of the following:

an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, subscriber information, channel allocation or stability of the mobile terminal and wireless network, a mobile identification number (MIN) of the mobile terminal, the current state of the mobile terminal, a phone call function and a function of sending a short message service (SMS) message.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile terminal comprises at least one of the following:

a cellular phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a PCS (personal communications service) and a wireless telecommunication device.

19. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on the processor readable storage devices, the processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method of identifying extreme behavior in elements of a network, the method comprising:

receiving, at a mobile terminal, an execution instruction for software installed in the mobile terminal;

generating a first error code for the installed software, wherein the first error code is configured to determine whether an error has occurred in the software;

generating a first authentication key based on a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and the first error code, wherein the mobile terminal identifier includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal; and

executing the installed software only if the first authentication key corresponds to a second authentication key stored in the mobile terminal, wherein the installed software is configured to use resources of the mobile terminal; and

after the installed software is executed, controlling the amount of the resources of the mobile terminal which can be used by the installed software based on security level information,

wherein the resources of the mobile terminal comprise at least one of the following;

an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, subscriber information, channel allocation or stability of the mobile terminal and wireless network, a mobile identification number (MIN) of the mobile terminal, the current state of the mobile terminal, a phone call function and a function of sending a short message service (SMS) message.

22. The storage devices of claim 19, wherein the second authentication key is generated in the mobile terminal.

20. A system for authenticating software, the system comprising:

means for receiving, at a mobile terminal, an execution instruction for software installed in the mobile terminal;

means for generating a first error code for the installed software, wherein the first error code is configured to determine whether an error has occurred in the software;

means for generating a first authentication key based on a mobile terminal identifier of the mobile terminal and the first error code, wherein the mobile terminal identifier includes an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal; and

means for executing the installed software only if the first authentication key corresponds to a second authentication key stored in the mobile terminal, wherein the installed software is configured to use resources of the mobile terminal; and

means for controlling, after the installed software is executed, the amount of the resources of the mobile terminal which can be used by the installed software based on security level information,

wherein the resources of the mobile terminal comprise at least one of the following;

an electronic serial number (ESN) of the mobile terminal, subscriber information, channel allocation or stability of the mobile terminal and wireless network, a mobile identification number (MIN) of the mobile terminal, the current state of the mobile terminal, a phone call function and a function of sending a short message service (SMS) message.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the second authentication key is generated in the mobile terminal.