Secure reset of personal and service provider information on mobile devices

• US 8,429,409 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Wall, Jonathan, von Behren, Rob
• Primary Examiner(s): ZECHER, CORDELIA P K
• Application Number:
  US13/547,029
• Time in Patent Office: 286 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3226 Use of secure elements separate from M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/12 Details relating to cryptographic hardware or logic circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/50 Oblivious transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/48 Secure or trusted billing, e.g. trusted elements or encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/35 Protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning

Abstract

Systems and methods are described herein for supporting end users of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, to reset a secure element associated with the communication device. The reset process may include clearing the secure element, associated memories, and storage devices of any user specific or personalized information associated with the user. The reset process may also include removing or resetting keys or other identifiers within the secure element that associate the mobile device with a particular secure service provider. According to various embodiments, a computer-implemented method for resetting a secure element within a network device may include receiving an encrypted reset request message at the secure element, decrypting the encrypted reset request message using a communication key, verifying authorization for the reset request message, and atomically clearing parameters associated with the secure element.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for resetting secure elements within network computing devices configured to conduct financial transactions, comprising:

receiving an encrypted reset request message by a secure element of a network computing device configured to conduct financial transactions, the encrypted reset request message being associated with a request to change control of the secure element from a first trusted service manager to a second trusted service manager, the encrypted reset request message originating from a source other than the first trusted service manager;

providing a communication key within the secure element;

decrypting the encrypted reset request message within the secure element using the communication key;

verifying authorization for the reset request message; and

clearing parameters associated with the first trusted service manager from the secure element based on instructions provided in the verified reset request message that originated from the source other than the first trusted service manager.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising revoking an access key of the first trusted service manager to access the secure element of the network computing device in connection with the request to change from the first trusted service manager to the second trusted service manager.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a certificate request and providing a certificate associated with the communication key in response to receiving the certificate request.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein clearing parameters associated with the secure element comprises resetting one or more card keys of the first trusted service manager within the secure element.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein verifying authorization for the reset request message comprises verifying a signature of the reset request message from a trusted authority.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein verifying authorization for the reset request message comprises receiving an authorization code over a wireless interface.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the communication key comprises a private public key pair.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing a signing key within the secure element.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the secure element is associated with a Near Field Communication interface.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein clearing parameters associated with the secure element comprises an atomic operation.

11. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions embodied therein that when executed by a computer perform a method for resetting secure memories within network computing devices configured to conduct financial transactions, the computer-readable program instructions comprising;

computer-readable program instructions for receiving an encrypted reset request message by a secure memory of a network computing device configured to engage in financial transactions, the encrypted reset request message being associated with a request to change control of the secure memory from a first electronic entity to a second electronic entity, the encrypted reset request message originating from a source other than the first electronic entity;

computer-readable program instructions for storing a communication key within a secure certificate associated with the secure memory of the network computing device;

computer-readable program instructions for decrypting the encrypted reset request message within the secure memory using the communication key;

computer-readable program instructions for verifying authorization for the reset request message; and

computer-readable program instructions for clearing parameters associated with the first electronic entity from the secure memory based on instructions provided in the verified reset request message that originated from the source other than the first electronic entity.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first electronic entity is a first trusted service manager and the second electronic entity is a second trusted service manager.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer-readable program instructions for revoking an access key of the first trusted service manager to access the secure memory of the network computing device in connection with the request to change from the first trusted service manager to the second trusted service manager.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein clearing parameters associated with the secure memory comprises resetting card keys associated with the secure memory.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the secure memory is associated with a Near Field Communication interface.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein verifying authorization for the reset request message comprises verifying a signature of the reset request message from a trusted authority.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein verifying authorization for the reset request message comprises receiving an authorization code over a wireless interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein verifying authorization for the reset request message comprises receiving an authorization code over a Near Field Communications interface.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein clearing parameters associated with the secure memory comprises an atomic operation.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the secure certificate comprises a public key for signing message associated with the secure memory.

21. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the secure memory is a secure element.

22. A system for resetting secure memories within network computing devices, the system comprising:

a computing device configured to convey payment information for a financial transaction; and

a resettable secure element existing in the computing device, the resettable secure element comprising;

a memory;

a secure element identity certificate stored in the memory;

a secure element identity communication key stored in the memory;

a secure element identity signing key stored in the memory;

a processor; and

computer executable programs stored in the memory that when executed by the processor cause the system to;

(i) receive an encrypted reset request message within the secure element, the encrypted reset request message being associated with a request to change control of the secure element from a first electronic entity to a second electronic entity, the encrypted reset request message originating from a source other than the first electronic entity,

(ii) decrypt the reset request messaging using the communication keys,

(iii) verify authorization of the reset request message using the signing key, and

(iv) reset one or more payment card keys associated with the resettable secure element in response to verifying authorization of the reset request message and based on instructions provided in the verified reset request message that originated from the source other than the first electronic entity.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the first electronic entity is a first trusted service manager and the second electronic entity is a second trusted service manager.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the resettable secure element is associated with Near Field Communications.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the card keys comprise card manager keys or fare keys.