Method and apparatus for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from microdevices

• US 8,332,661 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Sciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Andrew N. Mostovych
• Inventors: Mostovych, Andrew N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMORIN, CARLOS E
• Application Number:
  US12/191,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 713/194, 726/26, 726/34
• US Class Current: 713/194
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/20 Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for securing stand-alone microdevices or parts of larger processing devices are arranged for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from an information containing region of the secured microdevice. The method includes implementation of control protocols and hardware which monitor the conditions of secured microdevices and generate commands to trigger obliteration of information; establishment of a local energy storage device which stores energy to be used to perform the controlled obliteration of information; establishment of localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the information containing regions of the secured microdevices, upon generation of a command to trigger the obliteration of information; and maintenance of conditions for controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage upon generation of the command to trigger.

Claims

1. A method for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information, from at least one information containing region of a secured microdevice in a processing device by controlled obliteration of said information comprising the following steps:

(a) implementing control protocols and hardware which generate at least one command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information;

(b) establishing of a local energy storage device which stores energy in a form of localized electromagnetic fields to be used to initiate and perform said controlled obliteration of said information;

(c) establishing of localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in a proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice, upon generation of said at least one command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information;

(d) maintaining of conditions for controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage device upon generation of said command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information for the duration of time necessary to achieve desired controlled obliteration of said information;

wherein the at least partial deposition of stored energy in a form of localized electromagnetic fields in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevices is maintained for a period of time shorter than the time needed for a heat from the energy released in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice to diffuse through a volume of the at least one information containing region of said secured microdevice.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by an extraneous control signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by an internal clock signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control protocols and hardware are initiated by signals interpreted to be indicators of tampering and unauthorized extraction of information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information contained in the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice at least in part in a form of a structure of the secured microdevice'"'"'s architecture formed during fabrication of the secured microdevices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information contained in the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice at least in part in data and data residues incorporated in the information containing region'"'"'s constitutive materials during programming and utilization of the secured microdevice.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the local energy storage device comprises at least one capacitor and a circuit that couples the stored energy to a pulse power system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the circuit that couples the stored energy includes an electrical switching device that performs a switching operation after receiving an external command to perform said controlled obliteration of information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrical switching device is operated in self-switching mode.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of providing a separate dissipative load structure, performed after step (b) and before step (c) of claim 2, where the local energy storage device is coupled to the dissipative load structure arranged in a proximity of a portion of an active volume of the secured microdevice.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is arranged to be embedded in matter having a density of more than 0.1 grams per cubic centimeter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the separate dissipative load structure comprises at least one resistor positioned in the proximity of the portion of the active volume of the secured microdevice, and at least one conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents in direct contact with the resistor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents is directly connected to a dedicated connector arranged to conduct high power discharge currents when energized by the energy stored in the local energy storage device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned between the at least one information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned in proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein conditions for the controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage device are maintained so as that at least two chargings of the local energy storage device and subsequent discharging of the stored electromagnetic energy in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice are performed to achieve the controlled obliteration of information.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one energetic composition is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice and an attachment supporting the secured microdevice into the processing device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein at least another local energy storage is located in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice and comprises at least one energetic composition arranged to support an exothermic chemical reaction after ignition initiated by the at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the form of localized electromagnetic fields.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one energetic composition is thermite.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least one energetic composition is incorporated into a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

23. An apparatus for prevention of tampering, unauthorized use, and unauthorized extraction of information from at least one information containing region of a secured microdevice in a processing device by controlled obliteration of said information comprising:

(a) control hardware arranged to generate at least one command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information;

(b) a local energy storage device which stores energy in a form of localized electromagnetic fields to be used to initiate and perform said controlled obliteration of said information;

(c) a circuit for localized controlled release of the stored energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in a proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice, upon generation of said command to trigger said controlled obliteration of information;

wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of the stored energy is arranged for controlled release of the energy stored in the local energy storage upon generation of said command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information for the duration of time necessary to achieve desired controlled obliteration of said information; and

wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of the stored energy is arranged to maintain the at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice to diffuse through a volume of the at least one information containing region of said secured microdevice.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the local energy storage device comprises at least one capacitor and a circuit to couple the stored energy to a pulse power system.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the local energy storage further comprises at least one Marx Generator charged by a high voltage power supply and is switched by an electrical switching device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the Marx Generator is operated in a self-break-down mode.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of the stored energy comprises a separate dissipative load structure incorporated in the secured microdevice.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the separate dissipative load structure comprises at least one resistor positioned in a proximity of a portion of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice and at least one conductor arranged to conduct high power discharge currents in direct contact with said at least one resistor.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the at least one conductor arranged to conduct the high power discharge currents is directly connected to a dedicated connector arranged to conduct high power discharge currents when energized by the energy from the local energy storage device.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in a protective housing of the secured microdevice.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned between the information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and positioned in proximity of the information containing region of the secured microdevice.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein at least one separate dissipative load structure is arranged to form a load carrier and the load carrier is positioned between the at least one information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein at least one separate dissipative load structure is arranged to form a load carrier and the load carrier is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice, in proximity of the at least one information containing region, and a supporting structure that supports the secured microdevice.

36. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the circuit for localized controlled release of the energy from the local energy storage device and at least partial deposition of the stored energy in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice, upon generation of said command to trigger said controlled obliteration of said information comprises a transmission line for conduction of electric energy from the local energy storage device to the proximity of a semiconductor secured microdevice.

37. A secured microdevice for use in a processing device that is resistant to tampering and unauthorized use and unauthorized extraction of information comprising:

at least one information containing region with a structure organized to store and process said information, a protective housing with at least one inner and outer surface, contact connectors and associated conduits for conduction of said information, and an assembly for localized controlled release of energy in a proximity of the information containing region for controlled obliteration of the information contained in the at least one information containing region having at least one discharge electrode incorporated in a secured microdevice protective housing for initiation and support of an electrical discharge between said at least one discharge electrode and predetermined portions of the at least one information containing region for a period of time shorter than the time needed for a heat from the energy released in the proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice to diffuse through a volume of the at least one information containing region of said secured microdevice.

38. The secured microdevice of claim 37, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy comprises at least one discharge locus that protrudes from the predetermined portions of the at least one information containing region toward the at least one discharge electrode incorporated in the secured microdevice protective housing for initiation and support of the electrical discharge between said at least one discharge electrode and the at least one protruding discharge locus.

39. The secured microdevice of claim 37, comprising at least one connector with an associated conductor arranged to present a conduction path to conduct high power discharge current to parts of the processing device.

40. The secured microdevice of claim 37, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy in the proximity of the at least one information containing region includes at least one separate dissipative load structure.

41. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the at least one separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice.

42. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the at least one separate dissipative load structure is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

43. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the at least one separate dissipative load structure is positioned between the at least one information containing region and the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

44. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the at least one separate dissipative load structure is incorporated into said at least one inner surface of the protective housing of the secured microdevice and is positioned in said proximity of the at least one information containing region of the secured microdevice.

45. The secured microdevice of claim 40, wherein the at least one separate dissipative load structure is positioned between the protective housing of the secured microdevice and a means for supporting the secured microdevice into the processing device.

46. The secured microdevice of claim 37, wherein the assembly for localized controlled release of the energy comprises at least one volume of energetic composition arranged to support an exothermic chemical reaction after the localized controlled release of the energy.

47. The secured microdevice of claim 46, wherein the energetic composition is incorporated in the protective housing of the secured microdevice.

48. The secured microdevice of claim 37, wherein the secured microdevice is a self-secured microdevice comprising a self-securing subsystem that integrates at least a controller, local energy storage, and an internal power supply.

49. The secured microdevice of claim 48, wherein the self-securing subsystem is connected to a load carrier arranged in said proximity of the at least one information containing region.