US 2014/0006803 A1 · System And Method For Securely Binding And Node-Locking Program Execution To A Trusted Signature Authority

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for securely binding an arbitrary program to an authorized instance of a generic execution platform. Once the binding process occurs, the protected software application will not exhibit correct behavior unless run on the execution platform to which it is bound. The system and method withstands repeated attacks which tamper with the software application and the execution platform. The system and method present a mechanism to bind a program, P, to any un-trusted execution platform, E, which contains a Trusted Signing Authority (TSA). The TSA may take many alternate forms including a trusted platform module, secure processor, kernel driver, and hardened software agents.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A system for secure operation of a software application, the system comprising:

a source of entropy for generation of a secret value;
a provisioning mechanism for binding the secret value to one or more portions of the software application so as to form a protected program;
and
a trusted signing authority in communication with the provisioning mechanism, the provisioning mechanism further binding the secret value to the trusted signing authority;
wherein the trusted signing authority in conjunction with the secret value provides verification of the protected program.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

14/006,352Filed 21 Mar 2011

Published

2 Jan 2014

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

G06F 21/602
Protecting data: providing cryptographic facilities or services
G06F 21/51
Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems: at application…
G06F 21/645
Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures: using a third party
H04L 9/321
Including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity…:…

System And Method For Securely Binding And Node-Locking Program Execution To A Trusted Signature Authority

Life of this patent

System And Method For Securely Binding And Node-Locking Program Execution To A Trusted Signature Authority

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28