Secure host authentication using symmetric key cryptography

An apparatus comprising:

• a host device configured to:
• encrypt a first authentication request with a first key;
• transmit the first authentication request to a data storage device;
• transmit an authentication key to the data storage device with the first authentication request;
• encrypt a second authentication request with a second key;
• transmit the second authentication request to the data storage device;
• the data storage device configured to:
• store the first key in a memory of the data storage device;
• utilize the first key to decrypt the first authentication request to authenticate the host device;
• compare the authentication key to an indication of the authentication key to further authenticate the host device, the indication of the authentication key being a value stored on the data storage device and derived from the authentication key;
• generate the second key;
• replace the first key with the second key at the data storage device, the replacement including deleting the first key from the memory and storing the second key to the memory;
• transmit the second key to the host device;
• and
• utilize the second key to decrypt the second authentication request to authenticate the host.

A system comprising:

• a data storage device configured to:
• store an initial encryption key as a first encryption key;
• receive an authentication initiation request from a host;
• transmit a first index value and a copy of the first index value encrypted with the first encryption key to the host, the first index value corresponding to a number of authentication operations performed at the data storage device;
• receive a host authentication key and an encrypted authentication request from the host;
• decrypt the encrypted authentication request using the first encryption key to authenticate the host;
• compare the host authentication key to an indication of the host authentication key to further authenticate the host, the indication of the host authentication key being a value stored on the data storage device and based on the host authentication key
• on a successful host authentication operation:
• increment a current index value, starting with the first index value;
• perform a hash algorithm on a current encryption key starting with the first encryption key to generate a second encryption key, where the current index value corresponds to a number of hash iterations of the current encryption key;
• and
• store the second encryption key for use in a subsequent authentication operation.