Methods, apparatus and computer program products for authenticating and determining integrity of a software part of an air vehicle

• US 8,949,611 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2011
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Kimberly, Greg A., Gould, Todd William, Royalty, Charles D., Lawson, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Benoit, Esther
• Application Number:
  US13/166,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Methods, apparatus and computer program products are provided to authenticate and determine the integrity a software part. In this regard, a software part is authenticated and its integrity is determined by determining a first hash of the digital data that comprises the software part. If the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system, the method determines the authenticity and integrity of the software part by decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part in accordance with a public-private key pair to create a decrypted hash, comparing the first hash with the decrypted hash and transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system once data communications connectivity is established. Conversely, if the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with the off-board security system, the method determines the integrity of the software part by transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system for comparison with a whitelist.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating and determining integrity of a software part of an air vehicle comprising:

determining a first hash of digital data that comprises the software part; and

utilizing first and second different techniques to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part depending upon whether the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with an off-board security system in which case the first technique is utilized or lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in which case the second technique is utilized,

wherein, in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system, determining authenticity and integrity of the software part in accordance with the second technique by;

decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part in accordance with a public-private key pair to create a decrypted hash;

comparing the first hash with the decrypted hash;

executing the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash without awaiting establishment of data communications connectivity with the off-board security system; and

thereafter transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system, following execution of the software part, once data communications connectivity is established; and

wherein, in an instance in which the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with the off-board security system, determining the integrity of the software part in accordance with the first technique by transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system for comparison with a whitelist including a plurality of hashes of authentic software parts.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system further comprises initially authenticating and determining the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system further comprises flagging the software part as potentially lacking authenticity or integrity in an instance in which the first hash fails to match the decrypted hash.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising updating the whitelist as the software parts carried by the air vehicle change.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system once data communications connectivity is established comprises auditing the integrity of the software part.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part comprises decrypting a hash of a software part that has been encrypted with a private key of an airline with a public key of the airline.

7. A system for authenticating and determining integrity of a software part of an air vehicle comprising:

an on-board computing system comprising a processor and memory configured to determine a first hash of digital data that comprises the software part, said on-board computing system also configured to utilize first and second different techniques to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part depending upon whether the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with an off-board security system in which case the first technique is utilized or lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in which case the second technique is utilized, wherein, in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system, said on-board computing system is configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in accordance with the second technique by decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part in accordance with a public-private key pair to create a decrypted hash, comparing the first hash with the decrypted hash, executing the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash without awaiting establishment of data communications connectivity with the off-board security system and thereafter transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system, following execution of the software part, once data communications connectivity is established, and wherein, in an instance in which the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with the off-board security system, said on-board computing system is configured to determine the integrity of the software part in accordance with the first technique by transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system for comparison with a whitelist including a plurality of hashes of authentic software parts.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the on-board computing system is configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system by initially authenticating and determining the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash.

9. A system according to claim 7 wherein the on-board computing system is configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system by flagging the software part as potentially lacking authenticity or integrity in an instance in which the first hash fails to match the decrypted hash.

10. A system according to claim 7 wherein the off-board security system is configured to update the whitelist as the software parts carried by the air vehicle change.

11. A system according to claim 7 wherein the on-board computing system is configured to transmit the first hash to the off-board security system once data communications connectivity is established in order to audit the integrity of the software part.

12. A system according to claim 7 wherein the on-board computing system is configured to decrypt an encrypted hash of a software part by decrypting a hash of a software part that has been encrypted with a private key of an airline with a public key of the airline.

13. A computer program product for authenticating and determining integrity of a software part of an air vehicle and comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising:

program code instructions for determining a first hash of digital data that comprises the software part; and

program code instructions for utilizing first and second different techniques to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part depending upon whether the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with an off-board security system in which case the first technique is utilized or lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in which case the second technique is utilized,

wherein the program code instructions are configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system in accordance with the second technique by;

decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part in accordance with a public-private key pair to create a decrypted hash;

comparing the first hash with the decrypted hash;

executing the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash without awaiting establishment of data communications connectivity with the off-board security system; and

thereafter transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system, following execution of the software part, once data communications connectivity is established; and

wherein the program code instructions are configured to determine the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in accordance with the first technique by transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system for comparison with a whitelist including a plurality of hashes of authentic software parts.

14. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the program code instructions for determining authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system further comprise program code instructions for initially authenticating and determining the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash.

15. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the program code instructions for determining authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with an off-board security system further comprise program code instructions for flagging the software part as potentially lacking authenticity or integrity in an instance in which the first hash fails to match the decrypted hash.

16. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the whitelist is updated as the software parts carried by the air vehicle change.

17. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the program code instructions for transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system once data communications connectivity is established comprise program code instructions for auditing the integrity of the software part.

18. A computer program product according to claim 13 wherein the program code instructions for decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part comprise program code instructions for decrypting a hash of a software part that has been encrypted with a private key of an airline with a public key of the airline.

19. A system for authenticating and determining integrity of a software part of an air vehicle comprising:

an off-board security system having access to a whitelist include a plurality of hashes of authentic software parts; and

an on-board computing system comprising a processor and memory configured to determine a first hash of digital data that comprises the software part, said processor of said on-board computing system also configured to utilize first and second different techniques to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part depending upon whether the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with an off-board security system in which case the first technique is utilized or lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in which case the second technique is utilized, wherein the processor of the on-board computing system is configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in accordance with the second technique by decrypting an encrypted hash of a software part in accordance with a public-private key pair to create a decrypted hash, comparing the first hash with the decrypted hash, executing the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash without awaiting establishment of data communications connectivity with the off-board security system and thereafter transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system, following execution of the software part, once data communications connectivity is established, and wherein the processor of said on-board computing system further configured to determine the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle has data communications connectivity with the off-board security system in accordance with the first technique by transmitting the first hash to the off-board security system,

wherein the off-board security system comprises a processor configured to compare the first hash provided by the on-board computing system with the whitelist and to provide an indication of the integrity of the software part.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein the processor of the on-board computing system is configured to determine authenticity and integrity of the software part in an instance in which the air vehicle lacks data communications connectivity with the off-board security system by initially authenticating and determining the integrity of the software part in an instance in which the first hash matches the decrypted hash.