Secure compact flash

• US 9,514,063 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Estakhri, Petro, Le, Ngon
• Primary Examiner(s): Cervetti, David Garca
• Application Number:
  US14/798,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 726/28, 726/27, 726/29, 726/30, 726/4, 726/7, 713/183, 713/184, 713/193, 713/172, 713/185, 711/164
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/14 Protection against unauthorised use of memory or access to memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/402 Encrypted data
• 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: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/772 the recording apparatus and the television camera being placed in the same enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided, such as a memory card with a processor and nonvolatile memory coupled thereto. The nonvolatile memory has a secure area configured to store a user password and a serial number in encrypted form. The card is configured to grant access to the secure area when the card receives a password that matches the stored user password and the card is coupled to a system having the serial number.

Claims

1. A memory system, comprising:

a controller; and

memory coupled to the controller;

wherein the controller is configured to cause the memory system to decrypt encrypted data received at the memory system into first decrypted data, to decrypt encrypted data stored in the memory into second decrypted data, and to compare the first decrypted data to the second decrypted data only when the memory system comprises an indicator that indicates that the memory system is a secure memory system, an indicator that indicates that the memory system is configured, and a security feature that is turned on.

2. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the encrypted data stored in the memory comprises a password and a serial number.

3. The memory system of claim 2, wherein the serial number is for a device with which the memory system is configured for use.

4. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the memory system to indicate that the memory system is authentic in response to the first decrypted data matching the second decrypted data.

5. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to cause the memory system to go into an inactive mode in response to the first decrypted data not matching the second decrypted data.

6. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the encrypted data that is received at the memory system is received from a reader.

7. The memory system of claim 6, wherein the memory system is inserted into the reader.

8. The memory system of claim 6, wherein the memory system is further configured to determine that the memory system is authenticated to the reader in response to the second decrypted data matching the first decrypted data.

9. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the memory system is configured to output the indicator that indicates that the memory system is a secure memory systems in response to a command.

10. The memory system of claim 1, wherein the memory system is configured to output, in response to a command, the indicator that indicates that the memory system is configured.

11. A system comprising:

a memory system comprising a memory; and

a reader coupled to the memory system;

wherein the memory system is configured to indicate to the reader whether the memory system is a secure memory system, whether the memory system is configured, and whether a security feature of the memory system is turned on; and

wherein the reader is configured to encrypt data and to store the encrypted data to the memory of the memory system only when the memory system indicates to the reader that the memory system is a secure memory system, that the memory system is not configured, and that the security feature of the memory system is turned on.

12. The memory system of claim 11, wherein the encrypted data comprises a serial number of a device that is coupled to the system.

13. The memory system of claim 12, wherein the data further comprises a password.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving encrypted first data at a memory system from a device only when the memory system comprises a security feature that is turned on and stores a status indicator having an expected value, wherein the encrypted first data comprises a serial number of the device combined with a key;

using a controller of the memory system to process the encrypted first data to create processed first data and to process encrypted second data stored in a memory of the memory system to create processed second data; and

using the controller to compare the processed first data to the processed second data.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining the memory system to be authenticated when the processed first data matches the processed second data.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising placing the memory system into an inactive mode when the processed first data does not match the processed second data.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising, before receiving the encrypted first data at the memory system, outputting the key from the memory system to the device in response to a command that is received at the memory system from the device only when the memory system comprises the security feature that is turned on and stores the status indicator having the expected value.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising combining the key with the serial number of the device at the device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein combining the key with the serial number of the device comprises XORing the key with the serial number of the device.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the processed first data is decrypted first data and the processed second data is decrypted second data.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the second data comprises a serial number.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the controller causes the memory system to store the encrypted second data in the memory only when the memory system comprises the security feature that is turned on, stores the status indicator having the expected value, and stores an indicator that indicates that the memory system is not configured, wherein the status indicator having the expected value indicates that the memory system is a secure memory system.