Tamper reactive memory device to secure data from tamper attacks

• US 7,945,792 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valley Device Management
• Original Assignee: Spansion LLC (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Cherpantier, Fredric
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen; Shin-Hon
• Application Number:
  US11/873,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/194
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings

Abstract

Systems and methods that can facilitate securing data associated with a memory from tampering are presented. A counter tamper component can detect tamper attacks or tamper attempts associated with a memory and/or data stored therein or associated therewith and reacts to such tamper attacks/attempts, as the counter tamper component can provide evidence of, provide a response to, and/or resist tamper attacks/attempts. The counter tamper component can be associated with a memory module that includes a memory device(s) module and is contained in an electronic device and the memory module can change a color state to provide evidence of tampering. A window component is positioned on the casing of the electronic device so that the memory module is visible to the user so the user can perceive that a tamper attack associated with the module has occurred.

Claims

1. An electronic device that facilitates data security associated with a memory, comprising:

the memory is configured to be contained within the electronic device and comprises a plurality of memory locations to facilitate storage of data, wherein the memory is further configured to provide at least one indicator in response to at least one tamper attack associated with the memory;

a window component associated with a housing of the electronic device, wherein the window component is configured to facilitate detection of the at least one indicator to facilitate data security associated with the memory; and

a counter tamper component that is associated with the memory and is configured to react to the at least one tamper attack to facilitate data security associated with the memory based at least in part on a type of tamper attack, wherein, when the at least one tamper attack relates to authentication of an entity attempting to access the memory, the counter tamper component is further configured to facilitate provision of the at least one indicator, wherein the at least one indicator comprises at least one of change of a color state of at least one of a portion of a memory housing that contains the memory or change of a color state of an indicator component contained within the memory housing such that the at least one indicator is perceivable via the window component to facilitate detection of the at least one tamper attack.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an authentication component is configured to receive an authentication credential, determine that at least one of the authentication credential is valid or the authentication credential is invalid, and grant a subset of access rights associated with the memory if the authentication credential is valid, wherein the subset of access rights is based at least in part on the authentication credential.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the authentication component is further configured to evaluate information associated with an invalid authentication credential, determine that at least one of a predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is reached or the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached, increment a count associated with the attempts to authenticate if the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached, prompt the entity to provide another authentication credential if the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached, and determine that at least one of the at least one tamper event occurred or a tamper event did not occur based at least in part on the count.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the memory housing comprises a material that changes its color state or the indicator component comprises a light source that changes its color state, in response to the at least one tamper attack based at least in part on the type of tamper attack.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, the type of tamper attack is at least one of an access of the memory associated with invalid authentication information, a removal of the memory from a printed circuit board, a fracture of a casing associated with the memory, a side-channel attack, or a fault attack.

6. A system that facilitates security of data associated with a memory, comprising:

the memory that is configured to include a plurality of memory locations to facilitate storage of data;

a counter tamper component that is configured to be associated with the memory and is configured to react to at least one tamper attack associated with the memory to facilitate security of data associated with the memory based at least in part on a type of tamper attack, wherein, when the at least one tamper attack relates to authentication of an entity attempting to access the memory, the counter tamper component is further configured to provide at least one indicator in reaction to the at least one tamper attack, wherein the at least one indicator comprises at least one of change of a color state of at least one of a portion of a memory module that contains the memory or change of a color state of an indicator component associated with the memory module such that the at least one indicator is perceivable via a window component associated with an electronic device in which the memory module is configured to reside to facilitate detection of the at least one tamper attack.

7. The system of claim 6, the type of tamper attack is at least one of an access of the memory associated with invalid authentication information, a removal of the memory from a printed circuit board, a fracture of a casing associated with the memory, a side-channel attack, or a fault attack.

8. The system of claim 6, the counter tamper component is further configured to provide at least one of evidence of, resistance to, or a response to the at least one tamper attack, in reaction to the at least one tamper attack.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising the memory module that is configured to contain at least the memory.

10. The system of claim 9, the counter tamper component is further configured to utilize a mesh circuit associated with the memory module and a printed circuit board, and is further configured to facilitate application of a predetermined voltage level to the mesh circuit, wherein the counter tamper component is further configured to determine that the at least one tamper attack has occurred based at least in part on variance from the predetermined voltage level and is further configured to respond to the at least one tamper attack by at least one of an erasure of at least a portion of data stored in the memory, a catastrophic failure of the memory, or a graceful failure of the memory.

11. The system of claim 9, a casing of the memory module is comprised of a material that changes its color state based at least in part on the type of tamper attack, the counter tamper component is further configured to detect an unauthorized attempt to access the memory and facilitate the change of the color state of the material to indicate that the at least one tamper attack has occurred.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising the window component, wherein the memory module is configured to be contained in a casing associated with the electronic device and the window component is configured to be positioned on a face of the casing associated with the electronic device relative to the position of the memory module within the casing associated with the electronic device such that the casing of the memory module is visible to at least one user via a transparent portion of the window component that enables the at least one user to perceive the casing of the memory module.

13. The system of claim 9, at least one of a casing of the memory module or a casing of the memory is formed of a brittle material that fractures into multiple pieces in response to being opened and renders data stored in the memory inaccessible.

14. The system of claim 9, the at least one tamper attack comprising opening a casing of the memory module, the counter tamper component is further configured to employ a switch that is associated with the casing of the memory module, wherein the switch is configured to change state when the casing of the memory module is opened, the counter tamper component is further configured to detect the change of state of the switch, identify such change of state as the at least one tamper attack, and respond to the at least one tamper attack by at least one of an erasure of at least a portion of data stored in the memory, a catastrophic failure of the memory, or a graceful failure of the memory.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

an authentication component that is configured to facilitate verification of an authentication credential associated with the entity to control access to the memory based at least in part on a valid authentication credential; and

a cryptographic component that is configured to perform data encryption and decryption, wherein the at least one tamper attack comprising at least one of a side-channel attack or a fault attack, wherein the counter tamper component is further configured to employ a shield that is placed inside the casing of the memory module and facilitate a reduction of emission of information associated with the data encryption or the data decryption to outside of the casing of the memory module to facilitate resistance of the at least one tamper attack, wherein the side-channel attack is associated with at least one of information associated with electromagnetic radiation, power consumption, or radio frequency characteristics, associated with at least one of the memory or the cryptographic component.

16. The system of claim 6, the memory comprising nonvolatile memory.

17. An electronic device comprising the system of claim 6.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises at least one of a computer, a laptop computer, network equipment, a media player, a media recorder, a television, a smart card, a phone, a cellular phone, a smart phone, an electronic organizer, a personal digital assistant, a portable email reader, a digital camera, an electronic game, an electronic device associated with digital rights management, a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) card, a trusted platform module (TPM), a Hardware Security Module (HSM), a set-top box, a digital video recorder, a gaming console, a navigation device, a secure memory device with computational capabilities, a device with at least one tamper-resistant chip, an electronic device associated with an industrial control system, or an embedded computer in a machine, wherein the machine comprises one of an airplane, a copier, a motor vehicle, or a microwave oven.

19. A method that facilitates securing data associated with a memory from tampering, comprising:

receiving information relating to at least one tamper event associated with the memory; and

reacting to the at least one tamper event based at least in part on type of tamper event to facilitate securing the data associated with the memory, wherein the at least one tamper event relates to authentication of an entity attempting to access the memory, and wherein the reacting to the at least one tamper event further comprising at least providing evidence of the at least one tamper event when it is determined that the at least one tamper event occurred, the evidence associated with the at least one tamper event comprising at least one of changing a color state associated with a casing that contains the memory or deforming the casing that contains the memory.

20. The method of claim 19, the reacting to the at least one tamper event based at least in part on type of tamper event, further comprising at least one of providing evidence associated with the at least tamper event, resisting the at least one tamper event, or responding to the at least one tamper event.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving information associated with the at least one tamper event comprising at least one of attempting to gain unauthorized access to the memory, opening a casing that contains the memory, or breaking a seal associated with the casing that contains the memory;

evaluating the received information;

determining that at least one of the at least one tamper event occurred or a tamper event did not occur; and

providing evidence associated with the at least one tamper event if it is determined that the at least one tamper event occurred, the evidence associated with the at least one tamper event comprising at least one of changing a color state associated with a casing that contains the memory or deforming the casing that contains the memory.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving an authentication credential;

determining that at least one of the authentication credential is valid or the authentication credential is invalid;

granting a subset of access rights associated with the memory if the authentication credential is valid, the subset of access rights is based in part on the authentication credential;

evaluating information associated with an invalid authentication credential;

determining that at least one of a predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is reached or the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached;

incrementing a count associated with the attempts to authenticate if the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached;

prompting the entity to provide an authentication credential if the predetermined maximum number of attempts to authenticate is not reached; and

determining that at least one of the at least one tamper event occurred or a tamper event did not occur based at least in part on the count.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving information associated with the at least one tamper event comprising attempting to open a casing that contains the memory;

evaluating the received information;

determining at least one of the at least one tamper event occurred or a tamper event did not occur; and

resisting the at least one tamper event if it is determined that the at least one tamper event occurred, wherein resisting the at least one tamper event comprises fracturing the casing that contains the memory into multiple pieces and rendering the data stored in the memory inaccessible.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

receiving information associated with the at least one tamper event comprising at least one of changing a state of a switch associated with a casing that contains the memory or disrupting a voltage signal associated with a mesh circuit that is associated with the memory;

evaluating the received information;

determining that at least one of the at least one tamper event occurred or a tamper event did not occur; and

responding to the at least one tamper event if it is determined that the at least one tamper event occurred, the responding to the at least one tamper event comprising at least one of erasing at least a portion of data stored in the memory, generating a catastrophic failure of the memory, or generating a graceful failure of the memory.

25. A system that facilitates securing data associated with a memory from tampering, comprising:

means for storing data in the memory;

means for at least one of providing evidence of a tamper attack, resisting a tamper attack, or responding to a tamper attack, based at least in part on type of tamper attack to facilitate securing the data associated with the memory; and

means for changing a color state associated with a memory casing that includes the memory to facilitate providing evidence of the tamper attack based at least in part on the type of tamper attack, wherein, in response to the tamper attack, the means for changing a color state at least one of changes a color state of at least a portion of a surface of the memory casing or changes a color state of an indicator component contained associated with the memory casing, wherein at least one of the change in the color state of the at least a portion of the surface of the memory casing or the change in the color state of the indicator component is perceivable via a window component associated with an electronic device in which the memory resides to facilitate detection of the tamper attack.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

means for authenticating at least one user;

means for providing a transparent view into an electronic device that contains the memory casing that includes the memory to facilitate perceiving a change in the color state by at least one entity;

means for supplying power to facilitate securing the data associated with the memory; and

means for evaluating information associated with a tamper attack.