Device security with physically unclonable functions
AssigneeBlock, Inc.
InventorsKamran Sharifi, Jeremy Wade, Bertram Leesti, Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang, Max Joseph Guise
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic device, such as a payment reader, may include a physically unclonable function (PUF) source to generate a plurality of PUF values. The electronic device may also include circuitry to compare the plurality of PUF values from the PUF source to determine a degree of randomness of the at least one PUF source in generating the plurality of PUF values. The circuitry can then determine, based on the determined degree of randomness, whether to use the PUF values from the PUF source to perform a secure operation for the electronic device.
Claims17
A method, comprising:
- receiving, with circuitry, first physically unclonable function (PUF) data from a first PUF source of a payment reader, the first PUF data generated by the first PUF source in response to a first challenge;
- receiving, with the circuitry, second PUF data from the first PUF source or a second PUF source, the second PUF data generated by the first PUF source or the second PUF source in response to a second challenge;
- comparing, with the circuitry, the first PUF data and the second PUF data;
- determining, with the circuitry based on the comparing, a degree of randomness of the first PUF source in generating the first PUF data, wherein the determining comprises determining a value indicating the degree of randomness;
- and
- comparing, with the circuitry, a threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness;
- and
- controlling whether the payment reader uses PUF values from the first PUF source to perform a secure operation for a payment transaction based on the comparing the threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness that was determined.
A payment reader, comprising:
- an interface configured to receive payment data from a payment device;
- at least one physically unclonable function (PUF) source for generating a plurality of PUF values;
- and
- circuitry configured to process a payment transaction based on the payment data and to perform a secure operation for the payment transaction, the circuitry configured to compare the plurality of PUF values for determining a degree of randomness of the at least one PUF source in generating the plurality of PUF values, wherein the circuitry is configured to determine a value indicating the degree of randomness, the circuitry is configured to compare a threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness, and the circuitry further configured to determine, based on the comparing the threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness that was determined, whether to use PUF values from the at least one PUF source to perform the secure operation.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, with circuitry, a plurality of physically unclonable function (PUF) values from at least one PUF source of a payment reader;
- analyzing, with the circuitry, the plurality of PUF values;
- determining, with the circuitry based on the analyzing, a degree of randomness of the at least one PUF source in generating the plurality of PUF values, wherein the determining comprises determining a value indicating the degree of randomness;
- comparing, with the circuitry, a threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness;
- and
- controlling whether the payment reader uses PUF values from the first PUF source to perform a secure operation for a payment transaction based on the comparing the threshold to the value indicating the degree of randomness that was determined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.