Computer platforms and their methods of operation

• US 7,996,669 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2008
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Chan, David, Pearson, Siani Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak; Christopher A
• Application Number:
  US12/244,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20090031141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/123 by using dedicated hardware, e.g. dongles, smart cards, cryptographic processors, global positioning systems [GPS] devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/009 Trust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect

Abstract

A computer platform (100) uses a tamper-proof component (120), or “trusted module”, of a computer platform in conjunction with software, preferably running within the tamper-proof component, that controls the uploading and usage of data on the platform as a generic dongle for that platform. Licensing checks can occur within a trusted environment (in other words, an environment which can be trusted to behave as the user expects); this can be enforced by integrity checking of the uploading and license-checking software. Metering records can be stored in the tamper-proof device and reported back to administrators as required. There can be an associated clearinghouse mechanism to enable registration and payment for data.

Claims

1. A computer platform having:

a trusted module which is resistant to internal tampering and which stores a third party'"'"'s public key certificate;

memory storing license-related code comprising at least one of a secure executor for checking whether the platform or a user thereof is licensed to use particular data and for providing an interface for using date data for monitoring its usage, and a secure loader for checking whether the platform or a user thereof is licensed to install particular data and/or for checking for data integrity before installation; and

memory storing a hashed version of the license-related code signed with the third party'"'"'s private key; and

means for integrity checking the license-related code with reference to the signed version and the public key certificate and preventing the license-related code from being loaded if the integrity check fails.

2. A computer platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integrity checking is performed by:

reading and hashing the license-related code to produce a first hash;

reading and decrypting the signed version using the public key certificate to produce a second hash; and

comparing the first and second hashes.

3. A computer platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the license-related code also includes a library of interface subroutines which can be called in order to communicate with the trusted module.

4. A computer platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the license-relate code includes, for at least one group of data, a (or a respective) software executor which specifies the respective group of data and which is operable to act as an interface to that group of data.

5. A computer platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the memory storing the license-related code the means storing the hashed version of the license-related code are provided, at least in part, by the trusted module.

6. A computer platform as claimed in claim 1, wherein the trusted module and an operating system of the platform have a dedicated communications path therebetween which is inaccessible to other parts of the computer platform.