Systems and methods for locking and exporting the locking of a removable memory device

• US 8,402,240 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2009
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Okaue, Takumi, Nakanishi, Kenichi, Tashiro, Jun, Okubo, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Campos, Yaima
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLON, SAMUEL A
• Application Number:
  US12/612,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 711/163, 711/164, 726/27, 726/29
• US Class Current: 711/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1466 Key-lock mechanism
• 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

Abstract

A device and method is provided for commonly and securely allowing, as access control on a memory card, a plurality of information processing apparatuses to lock/unlock the memory. On the basis of a lock command input from an information processing apparatus serving as a host, such as a PC, an information storage device, such as a memory card, determines whether (a) a standard lock key set serving as a key set prohibiting output or (b) an export lock key set serving as a key set permitting output is detected and stores corresponding key set information. Only when the export lock key set is detected, output is permitted provided that predetermined verification succeeds.

Claims

1. An information storage device comprising:

a memory in which data can be stored; and

a controller which controls access to the memory, wherein,

the controller locks the memory on the basis of a lock command, an identifier (ID), and a lock key, each of which is input from a first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and

the controller determines, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and

stores determination information in a storage means.

2. The information storage device according to claim 1, wherein:

the information storage device stores lock status information in the storage means, the lock status information serving as determination information based on which the lock status of the information storage device is determined,

the lock status information includes information based on whether the information storage device is standard-locked or export-locked, and

the controller outputs, on the basis of the lock status information, the export lock key set to the information processing apparatus provided that the information storage device is export-locked.

3. The information storage device according to claim 1, wherein:

the controller determines whether it is permitted to output the export lock key set to a second information processing apparatus, and

the determination includes verification of a key set unique to the information processing apparatus, which is input from the second information processing apparatus, and the export lock key set is output to the second information processing apparatus at least provided that the verification succeeds.

4. An information storage device comprising:

a memory in which data can be stored; and

a controller which controls access to the memory,

wherein;

(1) the controller locks the memory on the basis of a lock command, an identifier (ID), and a lock key, each of which is input from a first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and

(2) the controller determines, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving as a key set prohibiting output of the key set and prohibiting access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and stores determination information in storage means,

(3) the primary information processing apparatus has, serving as a unique key set, a primary key set [IDs, LKs] consisting of a primary ID (IDs) serving as a unique ID of the primary information processing apparatus and a the primary lock key (LKs) defined in association with the primary ID (IDs), and

(4) in response to an export-lock-key-set output request from the primary information processing apparatus, the controller encrypts data of the export lock key set on the basis of the primary lock key (LKs) held by the primary information processing apparatus and outputs the encrypted data to the primary information processing apparatus.

5. The information storage device according to claim 4, wherein the export lock key set is a sub key set [IDen, LKen] consisting of a data set of a sub ID (IDen) input as the identifier (ID) from the information processing apparatus having performed export locking and the lock key is the sub lock key (LKen) defined in association with the sub ID (IDen), and the controller encrypts the sub lock key (LKen) on the basis of the primary lock key (LKs) held by the primary information processing apparatus having made a sub-key-set output request and outputs encrypted data [E(LKs, LKen)].

6. A memory access control system comprising:

an information storage device including a memory in which data can be stored, and a controller which controls access to the memory and a first information processing apparatus including an interface with the information storage device and accessing the memory in the information storage device via the interface,

wherein,

the information processing apparatus stores a key set including an identifier (ID) and a lock key (LK) in storage means,

the controller of the information storage device performs locking of the memory on the basis of a lock command, an identifier (ID), and the lock key, each of which is each input from the first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key,

the controller of the information storage device determines, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether the key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and stores determination information in storage means, and on the basis of the determination information, the controller of the information storage device determines whether it is permitted to output the key set to another one of the information processing apparatus in the group.

7. A memory access control system comprising:

an information storage device including a memory for storing data and a controller for performing access control on the memory;

a first information processing apparatus including an interface to the information storage device and adapted to access the memory in the information storage device,

a second information processing apparatus including an interface to the information storage device and adapted to access the memory in the information storage device,

wherein,

the first information processing apparatus stores a key set including an identifier (ID) and a lock key (LK) in storage means,

the controller of the information storage device performs locking of the memory on the basis of a lock command, the lock key and the identifier (ID) each input from the first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of the first information processing apparatus in which the lock key is a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the first information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key,

the controller of the information storage device determines, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether the key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the first information processing apparatus, where the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving as a key set permitting output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibiting all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and

stores determination information in storage means, and

on the basis of the determination information, the controller of the information storage device determines whether it is permitted to output the key set to the second information processing apparatus, and wherein, in response to a request from the second information processing apparatus the controller of the information storage device generates another random number and receives, from the second information processing apparatus, encrypted data [E(Lks, Rms)] generated by encrypting the other random number (Rms) on the basis of a primary lock key (LKs) held by the second information processing apparatus, and

the controller of the information storage device performs verification including checking of the received encrypted data against encrypted data [E(Lks, Rms)] computed on the basis of a primary lock key (LKs) obtained by computing a hash value using an identifier of the second information storage device to determine whether the second information processing apparatus is in the group associated with the sub lock key.

8. A memory access control method for an information storage device including a memory for storing data and a controller for performing access control on the memory, the method comprising:

a step of receiving a lock command, an identifier (ID), and a lock key, each of which is input from a first information processing apparatus, the ID identifying the first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and

a step of determining, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, storing determination information in storage means.

9. The memory access control method according to claim 8, wherein

the determination information is lock status information serving as lock-status determination information,

the lock status information includes information based on whether the information storage device is standard-locked or export-locked, and

the memory access control method further comprises a step of outputting, on the basis of the lock status information, the export lock key set to the information processing apparatus provided that the information storage device is export-locked.

10. The memory access control method according to claim 8, wherein, as determination of whether it is permitted to output the export lock key set to a second information processing apparatus, verification is performed on a key set unique to the second information processing apparatus, which is input from the second information processing apparatus, and the export lock key set is output to the second information processing apparatus at least provided that the verification succeeds.

11. A memory access control method for an information storage device including a memory for storing data and a controller for performing access control on the memory, the method comprising:

a step of receiving a lock command, a lock key and identifier (ID) each input from a first-information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of a primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and

a step of determining, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory,

storing determination information in storage means, and

wherein a second information processing apparatus has, serving as a unique key set, a primary key set [IDs, LKs] consisting of a primary ID (IDs) serving as a unique ID of the second information processing apparatus and a primary lock key (LKs) defined in association with the primary ID (IDs), and

the memory access control method further comprises an encryption and output step of encrypting, in response to an export-lock-key-set output request from the second information processing apparatus, data of the export lock key set on the basis of the primary lock key (LKs) held by the second information processing apparatus identifying the second information processing apparatus as being in the group and outputting the encrypted data.

12. The memory access control method according to claim 11, wherein

the export lock key set is a sub key set [IDen, LKen] consisting of a data set of a sub ID (IDen) input as the identifier (ID) from the first information processing apparatus having performed export locking and the lock key set is the sub lock key (LKen) defined in association with the sub ID (IDen), and

the encryption and output step is a step of encrypting the sub lock key (LKen) on the basis of the primary lock key (LKs) held by the second information processing apparatus having made a sub-key-set output request and outputting encrypted data [E(LKs, LKen)].

13. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium containing a program for controlling an information storage device to perform a method for controlling memory access to the information storage device, the information storage device including a memory for storing data and a controller for performing access control on the memory, the program comprising:

a step of receiving a lock command, an identifier (ID), and a lock key, each of which is input from a first information processing apparatus, the lock command corresponding to one of a plurality of locking modes, each locking mode corresponding to a respective locked state limiting all access to the memory to one of the primary information processing apparatus having a primary lock key used by the controller to standard lock the memory when the memory is not otherwise export-locked or a plurality of other information processing apparatuses, where the plurality of other information processing apparatuses and the primary information processing apparatus define a group, at least one of the group having a sub lock key used by the controller to export lock the memory to limit all access to the memory to each information processing apparatus in the group that transmits an unlock command to the controller using the sub lock key, and

a step of determining, on the basis of the locking mode corresponding to the lock command, whether a key set including the identifier (ID) and the lock key is

(a) a standard lock key set serving to prohibit output of the key set and prohibit all access to the memory except to the primary information processing apparatus, where the first information processing apparatus is the primary information processing apparatus and the lock key is the primary lock key for standard locking the memory, or

(b) an export lock key set serving to permit output of the key set to a corresponding one of the information processing apparatuses in the group and prohibit all access to the memory except to each information processing apparatus in the group that has unlocked the memory via the controller using the lock key, where the lock key is the sub lock key for export locking the memory, and storing determination information in storage means.