System and Method for Cryptographically Authenticated Display Prompt Control for Multifunctional Payment Terminals

• US 20090119221A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dresser Incorporated (Nagano Keiki Company Limited)
• Inventors: WESTON, Timothy Martin, SPILLER, David
• Application Number:
  US11/935,187
• Publication Number:
  US 20090119221A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1025 Identification of user by a PIN code

Abstract

This disclosure provides various embodiments of systems and methods for secure communications. In one aspect, the system for secure communications in a retail environment comprises a first display for presenting content to a customer, a first secure payment module comprising a first data entry device and a first secure processor, and a first controller. In some instances, the first controller is communicably coupled to the first display and the first secure payment module. Additionally, the first controller may be adapted to authenticate the first secure payment module, establish a secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module, receive a first source of content, provide a portion of the content to the first display, and selectively enable or disable the first data entry device.

Claims

1. A system for secure communications in a retail environment, comprising:

a first display for presenting content to a customer;

a first secure payment module, the first secure payment module comprising a first data entry device and a first secure processor; and

a first controller communicably coupled to the first display and the first secure payment module, wherein the first controller is adapted to;

authenticate the first secure payment module;

establish a secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module;

receive a first source of content, the content comprising one or more prompts to be presented by the first display;

provide a particular one of the prompts to the first display; and

selectively enable or disable the first data entry device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein to authenticate the first secure payment module, the first controller is further adapted to:

transmit a request to the first secure payment module for a first public key certificate associated with the first secure payment module;

receive the first public key certificate associated with the first secure payment module; and

authenticate the first public key certificate.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first public key certificate is associated with a first digital signature issued by a trusted certificate authority.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein to authenticate the first public key certificate, the first controller is further adapted to verify the first digital signature with the trusted certificate authority.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein to establish the secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module, the first controller is further adapted to:

generate a first session key;

encrypt the session key with a first public key embedded in the first public key certificate;

transmit the encrypted session key to the first secure payment module;

encrypt a copy of a root trust module associated with the first controller using the first session key, the copy of the root trust module embedded with a second digital signature issued by the trusted certificate authority; and

transmit the encrypted copy of the root trust module to the first secure payment module.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein to establish the secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module, the first secure payment module is adapted to:

receive the encrypted first session key;

decrypt the first session key using a first private key associated with the first public key certificate, the first private key stored locally and securely at the first secure payment module;

store the session key locally and securely at the first secure payment module;

receive the encrypted copy of the root trust module associated with the first controller;

decrypt the copy of the root trust module using the first session key; and

authenticate the second digital signature embedded in the copy of the root trust module

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first session key is generated, at least in part, by a pseudorandom number generator using entropy data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is further adapted to validate the first source of content, the first source of content embedded with a digital signature issued by the trusted certificate authority.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first controller is further adapted to:

selectively enable the first data entry device if the first source of content is successfully validated;

or

selectively disable the first data entry device if the first source of content is not successfully validated.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first controller is further adapted to determine whether the particular one of the prompts requests confidential information from the customer.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first controller is further adapted to:

if the particular one of the prompts requests confidential information from the customer, set the first secure payment module in a secure mode for receiving customer information at the first data entry device;

or

if the particular one of the prompts requests non-confidential information from the customer, set the first secure payment module in a non-secure mode for receiving customer information at the first data entry device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein information received after the secure communications link is established is encrypted with the first session key.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first source of content is received from a third party remote from the retail environment.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first secure payment module is located within a tamper-resistant and tamper-responsive enclosure.

15. A method for secure communications in a retail environment, comprising:

establishing a logically secure communications link between a first controller and a first secure payment module, the first secure payment module comprising a first secure processor and a first data entry device;

authenticating a first data file stored with the first controller, the first data file containing a plurality of content;

receiving a request to present a particular one of the plurality of prompts;

if the first data file is authenticated, enabling the first data entry device;

if the first data file is not authenticated, disabling the first data entry device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein establishing the logically secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module comprises:

receiving, at the first controller, a first public key certificate associated with the first secure payment module, the first public key certificate including a first digital signature issued by a trusted certificate authority uniquely identifying the first secure payment module;

authenticating, at the first controller, the first public key certificate;

generating, at the first controller, a first session key;

encrypting, at the first controller, the first session key with a first public key associated with the first public key certificate;

transmitting the encrypted first session key from the first controller to the first secure payment module;

receiving, at the first secure payment module, the encrypted first session key;

decrypting, at the first secure payment module, the first session key with a first private key corresponding to the first public key certificate, the first private key securely stored at the first secure payment module; and

storing, at the first secure payment module, the first session key.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein establishing the logically secure communications link between the first controller and the first secure payment module further comprises:

encrypting, at the first controller, a copy of a root trust module with the first session key, the root trust module including a second digital signature issued by a trusted certificate authority uniquely identifying the first controller;

transmitting the encrypted copy of the root trust module from the first controller to the first secure payment module;

receiving, at the first secure payment module, the copy of the root trust module;

decrypting, at the first secure payment module, the copy of the root trust module with the first session key; and

authenticating, at the first secure payment module, the second digital signature included with the copy of the root trust module.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first data file is authenticated, further comprising:

determining if the particular one of the plurality of prompts requests confidential information from a customer interacting with the retail environment;

if the particular one of the plurality of prompts requests confidential information from the customer, setting the first secure payment module into an encrypted mode; and

if the particular one of the plurality of prompts requests non-confidential information from the customer, setting the first secure payment module into a non-encrypted mode.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first session key is generated, at least in part, from pseudorandom system entropy.