# US 2025/0168009 A1 · ASIC Identity Auto-Provisioning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0168009 A1 - Document ID: US20250168009A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/033,167 - Filed: 2025-01-21 - Published: 2025-05-22 - Earliest claimed: 2023-03-02 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Chirag K. Shroff - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250168009A1 ## CPC - G06F 21/44: Program or device authentication - H04L 9/3236: {using cryptographic hash functions} - H04L 9/0643: {Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC} - H04L 9/0869: {involving random numbers or seeds} - H04L 9/30: Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy - H04L 9/3247: {involving digital signatures} - H04L 9/3265: {using certificate chains, trees or paths; Hierarchical trust model} - H04L 9/3271: {using challenge-response} - G06F 21/73: by creating or determining hardware identification, e.g. serial numbers - G06F 2221/2103: Challenge-response - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In one embodiment, a method to authenticate a hardware component, by a system, includes performing a verification process to determine whether the hardware component is authorized to run on the system. The hardware component comprises an electronic fuse storing a hash of a data package and a memory storing the data package, wherein the electronic fuse is configured to provide the hash to the memory. The verification process comprises transmitting a random value (K) to the hardware component to prompt the hardware component to sign a response. The verification process further comprises receiving a signed response containing the random value (K) and the data package, wherein the data package comprises a first serial number associated with the hardware component and a first system number associated with the system. The verification process further comprises decrypting the signed response to verify a value of the random value (K). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: one or more processors; a hardware component comprising: at least one electronic fuse configured to store a hash of a data package; and a memory configured to store the data package, wherein the data package comprises a field indicating the hash; and one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause one or more components of the system to perform operations comprising: performing a verification process to determine whether the hardware component is authorized to run on the system, wherein performing the verification process comprises: receiving a signed response comprising a random value (K) from the hardware component; receiving the data package from the hardware component, wherein the data package comprises a first serial number associated with the hardware component and a first system number associated with the system; and decrypting the signed response to verify a value of the random value (K). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware component is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware component comprises a plurality of electronic fuses, wherein each one of the plurality of electronic fuses is configured to store at least one of the first serial number, a symmetric key, and the hash of the data package. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the memory is configured to append the hash of the data package to the data package, wherein the hardware component is configured to transmit the hash of the data package with the data package. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining a public key corresponding to the hardware component based on the hash of the data package. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to store a second serial number associated with the hardware component and a second system number associated with the system, wherein the operations further comprise: comparing the first serial number received from the data package to the second serial number; comparing the first system number received from the data package to the second system number; and validating that the hardware component is authorized to run on the system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise determining to perform the verification process at boot time of the system. ### Claim 8 A method to authenticate a hardware component of a system, comprising: performing a verification process to determine whether the hardware component is authorized to run on the system, wherein the hardware component comprises: at least one electronic fuse configured to store a hash of a data package; and a memory configured to store the data package, wherein the data package comprises a field indicating the hash; wherein performing the verification process comprises: receiving a signed response comprising a random value (K) from the hardware component; receiving the data package from the hardware component, wherein the data package comprises a first serial number associated with the hardware component and a first system number associated with the system; and decrypting the signed response to verify a value of the random value (K). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the hardware component is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the hardware component comprises a plurality of electronic fuses, wherein each one of the plurality of electronic fuses is configured to store at least one of the first serial number, a symmetric key, and the hash of the data package. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the memory of the hardware component is configured to append the hash of the data package to the data package, wherein the hardware component is configured to transmit the hash of the data package with the data package. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining a public key corresponding to the hardware component based on the hash of the data package. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: comparing the first serial number received from the data package to a second serial number associated with the hardware component that is stored in the system; comparing the first system number received from the data package to a second system number associated with the system that is stored in the system; and validating that the hardware component is authorized to run on the system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: determining to perform the verification process at boot time of the system. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are configured, when executed by a processor, to: perform a verification process to determine whether a hardware component is authorized to run on a system, wherein the hardware component comprises: at least one electronic fuse configured to store a hash of a data package; and a memory configured to store the data package, wherein the data package comprises a field indicating the hash; wherein performing the verification process comprises: receiving a signed response comprising a random value (K) from the hardware component; receiving the data package from the hardware component, wherein the data package comprises a first serial number associated with the hardware component and a first system number associated with the system; and decrypting the signed response to verify a value of the random value (K). ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the hardware component is an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the hardware component comprises a plurality of electronic fuses, wherein each one of the plurality of electronic fuses is configured to store at least one of the first serial number, a symmetric key, and the hash of the data package. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the memory of the hardware component is configured to append the hash of the data package to the data package, wherein the hardware component is configured to transmit the hash of the data package with the data package. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein performing the verification process further comprises: comparing the first serial number received from the data package to a second serial number associated with the hardware component that is stored in the system; comparing the first system number received from the data package to a second system number associated with the system that is stored in the system; and validating that the hardware component is authorized to run on the system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein performing the verification process further comprises: determining to perform the verification process at boot time of the system.