Systems, Methods and Apparatuses for Secure Time Management

An apparatus for secure time management, comprising:

• a non-volatile storage to store a synchronization time;
• a first counter configured to increment at a first predetermined frequency;
• a second counter configured to increment at a second predetermined frequency;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• generate a request for a current time, the request to include a nonce generated at the apparatus;
• transmit the request to a trusted timekeeper;
• receive a response containing a current, real-world time from the trusted timekeeper, the response being digitally signed with a digital signature;
• verify the digital signature of the response;
• verify that the response is received within a predefined time;
• compare the nonce in the request to a nonce in the response;
• determine that the current, real-world time received from the trusted timekeeper is within a range of a first current time calculated at the apparatus based on the synchronization time, numbers counted by the first and the second counters respectively, and switching event information;
• and
• update the synchronization time with the current, real-world time in the response received from the trusted timekeeper, when the current, real-world time is within the range of the first current time.

A computer-implemented method for secure time management, comprising:

• generating, at an apparatus, a request for a current time, the request to include a nonce generated at the apparatus;
• transmitting the request to a trusted timekeeper;
• receiving a response containing a current, real-world time from the trusted timekeeper, the response being digitally signed with a digital signature;
• verifying the digital signature of the response;
• verifying that the response is received within a predefined time;
• comparing the nonce in the request to a nonce in the response;
• determining that the current, real-world time received from the trusted timekeeper is within a range of a first current time calculated at the apparatus based on a synchronization time stored in a non-volatile storage of the apparatus, a number counted by a first counter incremented at a first predetermined frequency, a number counted by a second counter incremented at a second predetermined frequency, and switching event information;
• and
• updating the synchronization time with the current, real-world time in the response received from the trusted timekeeper when the current, real-world time is within the range of the first current time.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions for a method for secure time management, the instructions causing a computer to execute the method, comprising:

• generating, at an apparatus, a request for a current time, the request to include a nonce generated at the apparatus;
• transmitting the request to a trusted timekeeper;
• receiving a response containing a current, real-world time from the trusted timekeeper, the response being digitally signed with a digital signature;
• verifying the digital signature of the response;
• verifying that the response is received within a predefined time;
• comparing the nonce in the request to a nonce in the response;
• determining that the current, real-world time received from the trusted timekeeper is within a range of a first current time calculated at the apparatus based on a synchronization time stored in a non-volatile storage of the apparatus, a number counted by a first counter incremented at a first predetermined frequency, a number counted by a second counter incremented at a second predetermined frequency, and switching event information;
• and
• updating the synchronization time with the current, real-world time in the response received from the trusted timekeeper when the current, real-world time is within the range of the first current time.