Protection of an authentication method

A method, comprising:

• executing, using an electronic device, an authentication process;
• and
• protecting the execution of the authentication process, the protecting of the execution of the authentication process including:
• storing a first data element in a first memory cell of a first pair of a plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• storing a second data element in a second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells, the first pair of memory cells being a current active pair of memory cells;
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a successful authentication, rewriting the first memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a third data element;
• and
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a failed authentication:
• rewriting the second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a fourth data element;
• incrementing a failure counter;
• writing a fifth data element into a first memory cell of a second pair of memory cells of the plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• writing a sixth data element into a second memory cell of the second pair of memory cells;
• and
• designating the second pair of memory cells as the current active pair of memory cells.

A system comprising:

• a first electronic device;
• and
• a second electronic device coupled to the first electronic device, wherein the second electronic device responds to an authentication request received from the first electronic device by:
• executing an authentication process;
• and
• protecting the execution of the authentication process, the protecting of the execution of the authentication process including:
• storing a first data element in a first memory cell of a first pair of a plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• storing a second data element in a second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells, the first pair of memory cells being a current active pair of memory cells;
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a successful authentication, rewriting the first memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a third data element;
• and
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a failed authentication:
• rewriting the second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a fourth data element;
• incrementing a failure counter;
• writing a fifth data element into a first memory cell of a second pair of memory cells of the plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• writing a sixth data element into a second memory cell of the second pair of memory cells;
• and
• designating the second pair of memory cells as the current active pair of memory cells.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium having contents which, in operation, configure a processing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

• executing an authentication process;
• and
• protecting the execution of the authentication process, the protecting of the execution of the authentication process including:
• storing a first data element in a first memory cell of a first pair of a plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• storing a second data element in a second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells, the first pair of memory cells being a current active pair of memory cells;
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a successful authentication, rewriting the first memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a third data element;
• and
• in response to the authentication process resulting in a failed authentication:
• rewriting the second memory cell of the first pair of memory cells with a fourth data element;
• incrementing a failure counter;
• writing a fifth data element into a first memory cell of a second pair of memory cells of the plurality of pairs of memory cells;
• writing a sixth data element into a second memory cell of the second pair of memory cells;
• and
• designating the second pair of memory cells as the current active pair of memory cells.