Secure smartphone

• US 8,458,800 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ViaSat Incorporated
• Inventors: Van Voorhees, Franklin David, Mar, Phil, Hart, Steven R., Lindteigen, Ty, Wren, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Durham, Imhotep
• Application Number:
  US12/896,748
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/255, 726/16, 726/26, 713/164, 713/166, 713/189, 713/150
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/16 Obfuscation or hiding, e.g. involving white box
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0863 involving passwords or one-time passwords network architectures or network communication protocols for using one-time keys in a packet data network H04L63/067
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/086 using security domains
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A commercial off-the-shelf smartphone is adapted, through software modifications only, to provide multiple operating domains or domains that provide differing levels of security and reliability. Each operating domain is isolated from the others. Detection of unauthorized modification is provided. Cross domain activity notification is provided.

Claims

1. A method for modifying an existing mobile communication device to operate in multiple domains, the method comprising:

installing a plurality of operating systems, one for each of a plurality of operating domains, each of the plurality of operating domains occupying an isolated region of memory, wherein at least one of the operating domains is a secure domain configured to communicate with another communication device by wirelessly transmitting and receiving encrypted communications and at least another of the operating domains is an unsecure domain configured to communicate with another communication device by wirelessly transmitting and receiving unencrypted communications;

installing a plurality of device drivers in another isolated region of memory separate from the isolated region of memory occupied by each of the operating domains, at least one of the device drivers assigned exclusively to the secure domain, at least one of the device drivers assigned exclusively to the unsecure domain, at least one of the device drivers shared concurrently between the secure domain and the unsecure domain, and at least one of the device drivers switched between exclusive assignment to the secure domain and exclusive assignment to the unsecure domain;

implementing a communication control module to enforce communication restrictions between each of the operating systems, the device drivers and device hardware;

implementing an authentication procedure to switch from the unsecure domain to the secure domain; and

providing a trusted indicator that the mobile communication device is operating in the secure domain, wherein the trusted indicator is under exclusive control of software associated with the secure domain.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication procedure further comprises:

establishing an expected response phrase to be supplied in response to an authentication challenge;

encrypting the expected response phrase;

receiving a trial response phrase supplied in response to the authentication challenge;

encrypting the trial response phrase; and

confirming authentication when the encrypted expected response phrase matches the encrypted trial response phrase.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing a trusted indicator further comprises:

setting the state of a light emitting diode (LED) on the mobile communication device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted communications are transmitted through a virtual private network (VPN).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing encryption for data associated with the secure domain.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a device erasure capability, wherein one or more of the isolated regions of memory are erased; and

providing a trusted indicator to indicate that the device erasure has been accomplished.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device erasure is initiated by the press of a button on the mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the device erasure is initiated by a secure communication reception.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting software download to the mobile communication device for use in the secure domain, subject to validation of a trusted signature in the software to be downloaded.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

clearing existing software from the mobile communication device prior to installing the plurality of operating systems.

11. A mobile communication device configured to operate in multiple domains, the device comprising:

a plurality of isolated regions of memory;

a processing module to run a plurality of operating systems, one for each of a plurality of operating domains, each of the plurality of operating domains occupying one of the isolated regions of memory, wherein at least one of the operating domains is a secure domain configured to communicate with another communication device by wirelessly transmitting and receiving encrypted communications and at least another of the operating domains is an unsecure domain configured to communicate with another communication device by wirelessly transmitting and receiving unencrypted communications;

a device driver module in another one of the isolated regions of memory separate from the isolated regions of memory occupied by the operating domains, the device driver module including a plurality of device drivers, at least one of the device drivers assigned exclusively to the secure domain, at least one of the device drivers assigned exclusively to the unsecure domain, at least one of the device drivers shared concurrently between the secure domain and the unsecure domain, and at least one of the device drivers switched between exclusive assignment to the secure domain and exclusive assignment to the unsecure domain;

wherein the processing module is configured to instantiate a communication control module to enforce communication restrictions between each of the operating systems, the plurality of device drivers and device hardware;

wherein the processing module is configured to instantiate an authentication module to implement an authentication procedure to switch from the unsecure domain to the secure domain; and

a trusted indicator to provide an indication that the mobile communication device is operating in the secure domain, wherein the trusted indicator is under exclusive control of software associated with the secure domain.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the authentication module further comprises:

an input module to receive an expected response phrase in response to an authentication challenge, and to receive a trial response phrase in response to the authentication challenge;

an encryption module to encrypt the expected response phrase, and to encrypt the trial response phrase; and

a confirmation module to match the encrypted expected response phrase to the encrypted trial response phrase, and confirm authentication based on the match.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 11, wherein the trusted indicator is an LED on the mobile communication device.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 11, further comprising:

a transceiver to provide the encrypted communications between the mobile communication device and a secure server while the mobile communication device is operating in the secure domain.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 14, wherein the secure domain is configured to transmit the encrypted communications through a virtual private network (VPN).