EGM authentication mechanism using multiple key pairs at the BIOS with PKI

• US 8,768,843 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Cockerille, Warner R. IV, Kim, John Hongjip, Ozmen, Melih, Gulbag, Ali R.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US12/354,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20100178977A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50, 705/56, 705/57, 705/59
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• 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: G06F 2211/008 Public Key, Asymmetric Key, Asymmetric Encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/127 Trusted platform modules [TPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/006 involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

Executable applications on a gaming machine are verified before they can be executed, for security purposes and to comply with jurisdictional requirements. Unlike in prior systems for authenticating the executable applications, embodiments allow for new executable applications to be provided and verified over time with different private and public key pairs, even after the operating code of the gaming machine is certified by the jurisdiction and deployed in the field.

Claims

1. A wager based gaming machine comprising:

a bill validator or cashless credit acceptor;

a mass storage volume;

a microprocessor;

an operating system stored in the mass storage volume;

a gaming application;

a read only basic input output system (“

BIOS”

) chip;

BIOS operating instructions stored within the read only BIOS chip; and

a certificate of a code signing certificate authority stored within the read only BIOS chip;

wherein the gaming machine is configured by the operating system and the BIOS operating instructions to;

receive a certificate revocation list;

authenticate the certificate revocation list;

store the authenticated certificate revocation list in the mass storage volume;

validate that a public key is certified by a code signing certificate authority by referencing the certificate of the code signing authority stored within the read only BIOS chip;

utilize the certificate revocation list in the mass storage volume to ascertain whether the code signing certificate authority has revoked a code signing certificate issued to the code signing authority; and

authenticate the gaming application using the validated public key.

2. A wager based gaming machine comprising:

a bill validator or cashless credit acceptor;

a mass storage volume;

a microprocessor;

an operating system stored in the mass storage volume;

a gaming application;

a read only basic input output system (“

BIOS”

) chip;

BIOS operating instructions stored within the read only BIOS chip;

a first public key embedded within the BIOS chip, wherein the first public key is configured to authenticate a first executable in the gaming machine; and

a second public key, of a code signing certificate authority, embedded within the BIOS chip;

the gaming machine configured to;

verify the first executable with the first public key; and

verify a second executable with the second public key only after determining that the second executable is signed by a valid private key of the code signing certificate authority.