System and method for remote device registration

• US 7,734,915 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Xu, Patrick, Neill, Brian, Vadekar, Ashok
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy; Pramila
• Application Number:
  US11/450,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/04 Masking or blinding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys
• 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 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB

Abstract

A system and method for remote device registration, to monitor and meter the injection of keying or other confidential information onto a device, is provided. A producer who utilizes one or more separate manufacturers, operates a remote module that communicates over forward and backward channels with a local module at the manufacturer. Encrypted data transmissions are sent by producer to the manufacturer and are decrypted to obtain sensitive data used in the devices. As data transmissions are decrypted, credits from a credit pool are depleted and can be replenished by the producer through credit instructions. As distribution images are decrypted, usage records are created and eventually concatenated, and sent as usage reports back to the producer, to enable the producer to monitor and meter production at the manufacturer.

Claims

1. A method for controlling insertion of sensitive data into devices, said method comprising:

arranging a server to be communicably connectable to a controller responsible for distributing said sensitive data and equipment responsible for injecting said sensitive data into said devices, said server being located remote from said controller, and said server comprising a secure module for performing cryptographic operations;

said server receiving from said controller, a cryptographically protected data transmission comprising said sensitive data;

said server providing said data transmission to said secure module;

said secure module extracting said sensitive data from said data transmission;

said server storing a credit value provided by said controller indicative of a number of sensitive data insertions that are permitted before requesting more of said sensitive data from said controller;

said server receiving a request from said equipment for said sensitive data to inject into one or more of said devices;

said server referencing said credit value and providing an amount of said sensitive data to said equipment for injection into said one or more devices according to said credit value;

if said amount is less than said credit value, said server updating said credit value according to said amount;

said server receiving an equipment log report pertaining to the insertion of said amount of sensitive data into respective devices; and

said server sending said equipment log report to said controller.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising said secure module preparing a server log report regarding obtaining said sensitive data from said controller, and said server sending said server log report to said controller.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said extracting comprises said secure module decrypting a header included in said data transmission to obtain a key, and using said key to decrypt said transmission and extract said sensitive data therefrom.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein said data transmission includes a plurality of types of sensitive data, said method further comprising said secure module obtaining certain ones of said types according to permissions established by said controller.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said server log report includes an indication of which one of said types has been provided by said secure module to said equipment.

6. A method according to claim 2 wherein said equipment and server log reports are provided to said controller in response to a poll initiated by one of said server and said controller.

7. A method according to claim 2 wherein said equipment and server log reports are provided to said controller for obtaining additional sensitive data wherein, a further data transmission is received if said log reports are favourable and additional sensitive data is required, and said server receives from said controller, an instruction to inhibit further extraction of said data from any previous transmission if said log reports are not favourable.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a provisioning procedure executed prior to receiving said sensitive data from said controller, said provisioning procedure being used to initialize said server and said secure module.

9. A method according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of servers, wherein said said data transmission is sent to said plurality of servers.

10. A method according to claim 1 further comprising said server receiving a credit instruction from said controller indicating an update for said credit value.

11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising said server receiving from said controller, an object for implementing an existing data injection solution, said existing solution modifying said data;

said object having been signed and a signed object is provided to said secure module;

said secure module storing said signed object, verifying said signed object, and modifying said sensitive data according to said existing solution if said signed object is verified; and

said server sending said modified data to said equipment for injection into said one or more devices.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising said server receiving a configuration message from said controller for use in modifying settings in said secure module.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sensitive data is a plurality of keys, said data transmission including a quantity of said keys encrypted by a secure module of said controller;

and said extracting said data includes decrypting one or more of said keys as indicated by instructions provided by said controller apriori.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said secure module decrypts said block of keys upon receipt thereof and individually re-encrypts each key;

and wherein certain ones of said keys are decrypted for use by said equipment upon a request made by said equipment.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein said secure module contains a symmetric key for communicating over forward and backward communication channels between said server and said controller.

16. A server system for controlling insertion of sensitive data into devices, said system comprising:

a server communicably connectable to a controller responsible for distributing said sensitive data and equipment responsible for injecting said sensitive data into said devices, said server being located remote from said controller, said server comprising a secure module for performing cryptographic operations, said server comprising computer executable instructions for configuring a processor to;

receiving from said controller, a cryptographically protected data transmission comprising said sensitive data;

providing said data transmission to said secure module;

said secure module extracting said sensitive data from said data transmission;

storing a credit value provided by said controller indicative of a number of sensitive data insertions that are permitted before requesting more of said sensitive data from said controller;

receiving a request from said equipment for said sensitive data to inject into one or more of said devices;

referencing said credit value and providing an amount of said sensitive data to said equipment for injection into said one or more devices according to said credit value;

if said amount is less than said credit value, updating said credit value according to said amount;

receiving an equipment log report pertaining to the insertion of said amount of sensitive data into respective devices; and

sending said equipment log report to said controller.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein said second secure module is configured to prepare a server log report regarding obtaining said sensitive data form said controller, and to provide said server log report to said controller.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said server further comprises data storage device for storing said data transmission prior to extracting said sensitive data therefrom.

19. A system according to claim 18 further configured for receiving from said controller an object for implementing an existing data injection solution, said solution modifying said data, said object having been signed and a signed object being provided to said secure module, wherein said secure module is configured for storing said signed object, verifying said signed object, modifying said sensitive data according to said existing solution if said signed object is verified, and sending said modified data to said equipment for injection into said one or more devices.

20. A system according to claim 17 wherein said data transmission comprises a plurality of different types of sensitive data, and said secure module obtains certain ones of said types according to permissions established by said controller.

21. A system according to claim 20 wherein said server log report includes an indication of which one of said types has been provided by said secure module to said equipment.

22. A system according to claim 17 wherein said equipment and server log reports are provided to said controller in response to a poll initiated by one of said server and said controller.

23. A system according to claim 17 wherein said equipment and server log reports are provided to said controller for obtaining additional sensitive data wherein, a further data transmission is received if said log reports are favourable and additional sensitive data is required, and said server receives from said controller, an instruction to inhibit further extraction of said data from any previous transmission if said log reports are not favourable.

24. A system according to claim 16 wherein said a header of said data transmission encrypts a data key using an encryption key;

said secure module comprises a decryption key for decrypting said data key; and

wherein said secure module is configured to use said data key to decrypt said transmission for extracting said sensitive data therefrom.

25. A system according to claim 16 wherein said server is further configured to participate in a provisioning procedure prior to receiving said data transmission, said provisioning procedure being used to initialize said server and said secure module.

26. A system according to claim 16 comprising a plurality of servers, wherein said data transmission is sent to said plurality of servers.

27. A system according to claim 16 further configured for receiving a credit instruction from said controller indicating an update for said credit value.

28. A system according to claim 16 further configured for receiving a configuration message from said controller for use in modifying settings in said secure module.

29. A system according to claim 16 wherein said sensitive data is a plurality of keys, said data transmission including a quantity of said keys encrypted by a secure module of said controller;

and said extracting said data includes decrypting one or more of said keys as indicated by instructions provided by said controller apriori.

30. A system according to claim 29 wherein said secure module decrypts said block of keys upon receipt thereof and individually re-encrypts each key;

and wherein certain ones of said keys are decrypted for use by said equipment upon a request made by said equipment.

31. A system according to claim 16 wherein said secure module contains a symmetric key for communicating over forward and backward communication channels between said server and said controller.