Recording of a key in an integrated circuit

• US 8,316,221 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2005
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proton World International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: Proton World International N.V. (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Daemen, Joan, Huque, Thierry, Fontaine, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALLAHAN, PAUL E
• Application Number:
  US11/658,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20090067630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,678 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1, 713/171, 713/172, 380/273, 380/279, 380/283
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method and a system for personalizing electronic elements, by replacing, in a non-volatile memory of each of the electronic elements a first secret key with a second secret key, by a secure authentication module automatically generating the second key after having restored the first one from an identifier of the element being personalized, including conditioning, on the authentication module side, the provision of the second key to a current element to the reception of a message confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding element.

Claims

1. A method for personalizing a plurality of electronic elements, by replacing in a non-volatile memory of each of the electronic elements in the plurality of electronic elements, a first secret key with a second secret key using a secure authentication module, said method comprising:

generating by the secure authentication module, said second secret key after having restored the first secret key from an identifier of a current element being personalized; and

conditioning, by at least one processor of the secure authentication module, the provision of the second key to the current element to the reception of a message from an element other than the current element confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding element other than the current element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein exchanges between the current element and the secure authentication module are coded by data generated by said secure authentication module, wherein the data changes for each new element that is personalized.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a same secret key of an electronic element is replaced with several second keys.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure authentication module is a smart card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said current element is a smart card.

6. A method for personalizing electronic elements, by replacing in a non-volatile memory of each of the electronic elements, a first secret key with a second secret key, by means of a secure authentication module automatically generating said second key after having restored the first one from an identifier of the element being personalized, said method comprising:

conditioning, on the authentication module side, the provision of the second key to a current element to the reception of a message confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding element;

wherein a module counter totalizes the number of successive confirmation messages not received for preceding elements and compares this number with a stored threshold to allow personalization of the current element, the counter being reset each time a current element confirms the replacement of its key.

7. A system for personalizing keys in smart cards, the system comprising:

at least one processor programmed to perform a method comprising;

generating a second secret key after having restored a first secret key from an identifier of a current electronic element being personalized; and

replacing, in a non-volatile memory of a current electronic element, the first secret key with the second secret key, wherein provision of the second secret key to the current electronic element is dependent on the reception of a message from an electronic element other than the current electronic element confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding element other than the current electronic element.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a module counter configured to;

totalize a number of successive confirmation messages not received for preceding elements; and

compare the number with a stored threshold to allow personalization of the current element with the second secret key, the counter being reset each time a current element confirms the replacement of its key.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

code information transmitted to the current electronic element with data, wherein the data changes for each new element that is personalized by the system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the data is a value of a counter incremented on each personalization of a new element.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the data is a random number drawn to change on each personalization of a new element.

12. An apparatus for personalizing electronic elements by replacing in a non-volatile memory of each of the electronic elements, a first secret key with a second secret key, the apparatus comprising at least one processor implemented at least partially in hardware, the apparatus being configured to:

automatically generate, using said at least one processor implemented at least partially in hardware, the second secret key after having restored the first secret key from an identifier of a current electronic element being personalized,

wherein the provision of the second secret key to the current electronic element is conditioned on the reception of a message confirming the key replacement of at least one preceding electronic element other than the current electronic element; and

wherein a module counter totalizes the number of successive confirmation messages not received for preceding electronic elements and compares this number with a stored threshold to allow personalization of the current electronic element, the counter being reset each time an electronic element confirms the replacement of its key.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is further configured to:

code information transmitted to the current electronic element with data, wherein the data changes for each new element that is personalized.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data is a value of a counter incremented on each personalization of a new element.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the data is a random number drawn to change on each personalization of a new element.