Disabling on/off capacity on demand

• US 8,086,856 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, David O., McMahon, Lynn A., Schardt, Terry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Orgad, Edan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baum, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US12/350,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 713/170
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/71 to assure secure computing or processing of information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/78 to assure secure storage of data address-based protection against unauthorised use of memory G06F12/14; record carriers for use with machines and with at least a part designed to carry digital markings G06K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Apparatus and article of manufacture for disabling on-demand access to computerized resources on a computerized apparatus are disclosed. The method comprises receiving a disablement code; validating the disablement code; and disabling an on-demand resource if the validating is successful, thereby rendering the disabled on-demand resource unavailable for use by users of the computerized apparatus, wherein the disabled on-demand resource is a hardware resource of the computerized apparatus. Another embodiment includes receiving a disablement code comprising encrypted data, validating the disablement code, disabling at least one on-demand resource if the validating is successful. The validating includes generating a first key using system information unique to the computerized apparatus; decrypting the encrypted data using a second key to produce decrypted data; encrypting a value to produce an encrypted value; decrypting the encrypted value to produce a decrypted value; and comparing the value to the decrypted value.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed on a processor, performs an operation for validating a disablement code for disabling an on-demand resource on a computerized apparatus, the operation comprising:

receiving the disablement code for disabling the on-demand resource, wherein the disablement code comprises encrypted data and wherein the on-demand resource is one of a processor, a memory and a hardware storage device; and

validating the disablement code, the validating comprising;

generating a first key using system information unique to the computerized apparatus;

sending the encrypted data to a secure storage element containing a second key, wherein the secure storage element is configured to decrypt the encrypted data, to produce decrypted data, using the second key;

generating a random value;

encrypting the random value using the first key to produce an encrypted random value;

sending the encrypted random value to the secure storage element, wherein the secure storage element is configured to decrypt the encrypted random value, using the decrypted data as a decryption key, to produce a decrypted random value;

receiving the decrypted random value from the secure storage element; and

comparing the value to the decrypted random value.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first key is identical to the decrypted data.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the secure storage element is a smart chip.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the on-demand resource was previously enabled to allow a user to request usage of the on-demand resource.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising disabling the on-demand resource, wherein the on-demand resource was previously enabled to allow a user to request usage of the on-demand resource and wherein disabling comprises preventing the user from requesting usage of the on-demand resource.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the disablement code is input by a user.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a program which, when executed on a processor, performs an operation for validating a disablement code for disabling an on-demand resource on a computerized apparatus, the operation comprising:

receiving the disablement code for disabling the on-demand resource, wherein the disablement code comprises encrypted data and wherein the on-demand resource is one of a processor, a memory and a hardware storage device; and

validating the disablement code, the validating comprising;

generating a first key using system information unique to the computerized apparatus;

sending the encrypted data to a secure storage element containing a second key, wherein the secure storage element is configured to decrypt the encrypted data, to produce decrypted data, using the second key and further configured to encrypt a value using the decrypted data as an encryption key;

receiving the encrypted value from the secure storage element; and

decrypting the encrypted value using the first key; and

disabling the on-demand resources if the validating is successful, thereby rendering the disabled on-demand resource unavailable for use by users of the computerized apparatus, wherein the disabled on-demand resource is a hardware resource of the computerized apparatus.

8. A computerized apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of resources at least one of which comprises an on-demand resource configured to be requested by a user once enabled; and

a processor configured to execute a capacity manager;

the capacity manager configured to at least;

receive an enablement code for the on-demand resource;

enable the on-demand resource;

receive a disablement code for the on-demand resource;

validate the disablement code, wherein the capacity manager is configured to validate the disablement code by performing the steps of;

generating a first key using system information unique to the computerized apparatus,

decrypting the encrypted data using a second key to produce decrypted data,

encrypting a value, using the first key as an encryption key, to produce an encrypted value,

decrypting the encrypted value, using the decrypted data as a decryption key, to produce a decrypted value, and

comparing the value to the decrypted value; and

upon validating the disablement code, disable the on-demand resource, thereby rendering the disabled on-demand resource unavailable for use by users of the computerized apparatus, wherein the disabled on-demand resource is a hardware resource of the computerized apparatus.

9. The computerized apparatus of claim 8, wherein the on-demand resource comprises at least one of a processor, storage and memory.

10. The computerized apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capacity manager configured to enable by unlocking the on-demand resource and making the on-demand resource available for use upon request.

11. The computerized apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a user interface and wherein the capacity manager is further configured receive the enablement code and disablement code from the user.

12. The computerized apparatus of claim 8, wherein the capacity manager comprises a smart chip having an associated unique key.