Anti-tamper device and communication device

Abstract

This application provides an anti-tamper device and a communication device. The anti-tamper device is installed in the communication device and includes: a vulnerable unit, the first end of which is fixed inside the casing of the communication device. The vulnerable unit includes multiple lines, some of which are in a conductive state and others are in a disconnected state; a pull-up module, which is coupled to the first end of each line, and the coupling point between the pull-up module and each line is connected to the controller of the communication device. The pull-up module is powered by the communication device, and the second end of each line is grounded. When the communication device is disassembled, all the lines in the vulnerable unit are disconnected, and the controller receives an electrical signal indicating that the communication device has been disassembled. By using the random on / off states of multiple lines, the device is determined to have been disassembled. After the device is disassembled, all the lines are disconnected, making it impossible to determine the original state of the lines, thereby achieving the anti-tamper function.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application mainly relates to the technical field of smart terminal security, and in particular to anti-tamper devices and communication equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread use of smart terminal devices, device security has become a crucial consideration. Terminal devices may face the risk of unauthorized disassembly during use, potentially leading to information leakage and functional tampering. Therefore, developing a highly secure tamper-proof encryption scheme is of significant practical importance. Utility Model Content

[0003] The main purpose of this application is to provide anti-tampering devices and communication equipment to solve the problem of illegal disassembly of terminal equipment during use, so as to protect the information and functional security of the terminal equipment and avoid information leakage.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides an anti-tamper device and a communication device. The anti-tamper device is installed within the communication device and includes: a vulnerable unit, the first end of which is fixed inside the housing of the communication device. The vulnerable unit includes multiple lines, some of which are in a conductive state and others are in a disconnected state; a pull-up module, which is coupled to the first end of each line, and the coupling point between the pull-up module and each line is connected to the controller of the communication device. The pull-up module is powered by the communication device, and the second end of each line is grounded. When the communication device is disassembled, all lines in the vulnerable unit are disconnected, and the controller receives an electrical signal indicating that the communication device has been disassembled.

[0005] In one embodiment, the vulnerable unit includes: a plurality of vulnerable wires forming a plurality of lines, and the target wire segments of the plurality of vulnerable wires are fixed inside the housing of the communication device as the first end of the vulnerable unit.

[0006] The above method uses easily damaged conductors to form a circuit, which has a simple structure and helps to save costs.

[0007] In one embodiment, the vulnerable unit includes: a flexible circuit board, the first end of which is fixed inside the housing of the communication device. The flexible circuit board has a vulnerable area and at least two wires, which pass through the vulnerable area. The at least two wires form multiple lines, and some of the wires are disconnected in the vulnerable area, while the remaining wires are connected in the vulnerable area.

[0008] The above method uses a flexible circuit board, on which wires are set to form a circuit, and vulnerable areas are set in it, so that the wires on the flexible circuit board are damaged during the disassembly of the device. Then, by detecting the electrical signal of the disassembled communication device, it can be determined whether the device has been disassembled.

[0009] In one embodiment, a plurality of through holes are provided at intervals along a first direction in the vulnerable area.

[0010] By using the above method, multiple through holes are set to make vulnerable areas more susceptible to damage, and the damaged lines can be planned so that they are damaged along the planned lines. When the communication equipment is disassembled, the multiple through holes are damaged along the first direction so that all wires in the vulnerable area are disconnected.

[0011] In the above manner, multiple through holes are damaged along the first direction, so that all wires in the vulnerable area are disconnected, making the location more susceptible to damage. The damaged area is destroyed along the through hole locations planned in that area, so that the lines therein can be better damaged and the damage path can be planned.

[0012] In one embodiment, the disconnection point of the disconnected wire is located on the straight line along the first direction where the plurality of through holes are located.

[0013] In this way, the disconnection point of the disconnected wire is located on the straight line of multiple through holes along the first direction, so that it is impossible to identify whether the original wire is disconnected after the device is disassembled, thereby strengthening the anti-tamper protection and preventing the device from being dismantled and cracked by reverse repair.

[0014] In one embodiment, at least two conductor segments of each conductor are laid in a vulnerable area.

[0015] By placing multiple conductor segments in vulnerable areas using the above method, the probability of damage to the conductor during equipment disassembly is increased, thereby improving the equipment's anti-tampering performance.

[0016] In one embodiment, the pull-up module includes a plurality of resistors, each resistor being coupled to a first end of one of the lines, and each resistor being coupled to a point on each line being connected to a controller of the communication device.

[0017] To address the aforementioned issues, this application also provides a communication device equipped with an anti-tampering device as described in any of the embodiments above.

[0018] In one embodiment, the communication device is a walkie-talkie.

[0019] In one embodiment, the housing of the communication device includes a back plate, and a first end of a vulnerable unit is fixed to the inside of the back plate.

[0020] This application provides an anti-tamper device and a communication device. Multiple lines in a vulnerable unit are set with random on / off states, and the device is detected and judged as having been disassembled based on these states. Once the device is disassembled, all lines in the vulnerable unit are damaged and disconnected. Due to the randomly set on / off states, the original on / off states of the lines cannot be restored after the device is disassembled, effectively ensuring the information security of the device. Furthermore, this anti-tamper device is powered by the communication device, eliminating the need for a backup battery, and the protection time is not limited by battery life. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a structural schematic diagram of the third embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fourth embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the fifth embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the communication device provided in this application;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the communication device provided in this application.

[0029] Icon labels:

[0030] 100. Anti-tamper device; 200. Communication equipment; 210. Housing; 220. Backplate; 10. Vulnerable unit; 11. Circuit; 12. Vulnerable wire; 13. Flexible circuit board; 131. Vulnerable area; 132. Wire; 133. Through hole; 20. Pull-up module; 30. Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and not for limiting it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to this application are shown in the accompanying drawings, not all structures. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application are used to distinguish different objects, not to describe a specific order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or apparatuses.

[0033] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0034] Traditional solutions detect tampering on the device terminal using a backup battery. If tampering is detected, the device self-destructs to protect its information security. However, this solution relies on a backup battery, which is limited by its capacity, and the protection time is determined by the battery's endurance. Other solutions detect tampering by checking the integrity of a protection unit when the device is powered on again. If the protection unit is damaged, the device self-destructs. However, while this solution doesn't rely on a backup battery, there's a possibility that the protection unit could be repaired before power-on, thus bypassing the tamper protection. In other solutions, traditional photoresistors and random resistors are prone to false triggering and have poor stability in high and low temperature environments.

[0035] In view of the shortcomings of the above-mentioned solutions, this application provides an anti-tampering device and a communication device to provide a highly secure terminal anti-tampering encryption solution.

[0036] See Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application. The anti-tamper device 100 is disposed in a communication device and includes: a vulnerable unit 10 and a pull-up module 20. Specifically, the first end of the vulnerable unit 10 is fixed inside the housing of the communication device (not shown). The vulnerable unit 10 includes multiple lines 11, some of which are in a conductive state and others are in a disconnected state. The pull-up module 20 is coupled to the first end of each line 11, and the coupling point between the pull-up module 20 and each line 11 is connected to the controller 30 of the communication device. The pull-up module 20 is powered by the communication device, and the second end of each line 11 is grounded. When the communication device is disassembled, all lines 11 in the vulnerable unit 10 are disconnected, and the controller 30 receives an electrical signal indicating that the communication device has been disassembled. In one embodiment, the pull-up module 20 includes multiple resistors, each resistor is coupled to the first end of one of the lines, and the coupling point between each resistor and each line is connected to the controller of the communication device.

[0037] Understandably, in the vulnerable unit 10, multiple lines 11 are connected at one end to the IO interface of the controller 30 in the communication device and coupled to the power supply through the pull-up module 20, with their common terminal fixed to ground. Since the on / off states of the multiple lines 11 are random, the level information of the lines 11 can be read through the IO interface of the controller 30 to determine whether the device has been disassembled based on whether the level of the lines 11 has changed. In another embodiment, when the device terminal is encrypted for the first time, the controller 30 reads the IO interface level to obtain the encryption signal. For example, in one embodiment, when the device is powered on after disassembly, if the controller 30 reads multiple high-level signals, it determines that the device has been disassembled, executes a deletion command, and deletes all stored information in the device to achieve the anti-tamper function and protect the information security of the device. In the above scheme, the anti-tamper detection is implemented using digital signals, which has advantages such as high stability, immunity to high and low temperatures, and low risk of false triggering.

[0038] The disconnected state of line 11 can be a preset disconnected state, or it can be achieved by physically breaking line 11 to create a disconnected state. For example... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 It provides a way to physically disconnect.

[0039] In one embodiment, the first end of the vulnerable unit 10 includes an adhesive area, and the vulnerable unit 10 is fixed to the communication device by means of adhesive bonding between the adhesive area and the inner side of the housing.

[0040] In one embodiment, the pull-up module 20 can be connected to the power supply by setting multiple resistors, that is, each line 11 is provided with a resistor to pull up to the power supply.

[0041] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the anti-tampering device provided in this application; the vulnerable unit 10 includes: a plurality of vulnerable wires 12, the plurality of vulnerable wires 12 forming a plurality of lines 11, and the target wire segments of the plurality of vulnerable wires 12 are fixed inside the housing of the communication device as the first end of the vulnerable unit 10.

[0042] In this design, multiple circuits 11 are formed using easily damaged wires 12. When the equipment is disassembled, these easily damaged wires 12 will be damaged and broken, thus preventing tampering. Using easily damaged wires 12 to form the circuits 11 results in a simple structure and saves costs. The material of the easily damaged wires 12 is not specifically limited; it should be easily damaged to ensure it is easily destroyed during disassembly. For example, thin, easily damaged wires can be used as the easily damaged wires 12.

[0043] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the third embodiment of the anti-tampering device provided in this application; the vulnerable unit 10 includes: a flexible circuit board 13, the first end of which is fixed inside the housing of the communication device, the flexible circuit board 13 is provided with a vulnerable area 131 and at least two wires 132, the at least two wires 132 passing through the vulnerable area 131; wherein, the at least two wires 132 form multiple lines 11, some of the wires 132 are disconnected in the vulnerable area 131, and the remaining wires 132 are connected in the vulnerable area 131.

[0044] In another embodiment, the flexible circuit board 13 is a fragile flexible board. When the device is disassembled, the flexible circuit board 13 is damaged, causing the wires 132 within it to be randomly destroyed as well. After the device is disassembled, all the wires 132 in the flexible circuit board 13 are destroyed to achieve the anti-tampering function.

[0045] In the above manner, a flexible circuit board 13 is used to form a circuit 11 by setting wires 132 on the flexible circuit board 13 and setting a vulnerable area 131 therein, so that the wires 132 on the flexible circuit board 13 are damaged during the disassembly of the device, and then the electrical signal of the communication device being disassembled is detected to determine whether the device has been disassembled.

[0046] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the fourth embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application; multiple through holes 133 are spaced apart along a first direction in the vulnerable area 131. It is understood that the shape, size, and number of the through holes 133 are not specifically limited and can be adjusted according to actual conditions. For example, in one embodiment, the through holes 133 are circular in shape and numbered 20. In another embodiment, the through holes 133 are elliptical in shape and numbered 30.

[0047] By using the above method, multiple through holes 133 are provided, making the vulnerable area 131 more susceptible to damage, and the direction of damage can be planned so that it is damaged along the planned direction.

[0048] In one embodiment, when the communication device is disassembled, multiple through holes 133 are damaged along a first direction to disconnect all wires 132 in the vulnerable area 131.

[0049] Understandably, by using the above method, multiple through holes 133 are damaged along the first direction, so that all wires 132 in the vulnerable area 131 are disconnected, making the location more susceptible to damage. Furthermore, the damaged area is destroyed along the planned location of the through holes 133 in that area, so that the wires 132 therein can be better damaged, and the damage path can be planned.

[0050] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the disconnection point of the disconnected wire 132 is located on the straight line of the multiple through holes 133 along the first direction.

[0051] Understandably, in some embodiments, the on / off state setting of line 11 (i.e., conductor 132) can be achieved by using prefabricated lines 11 during the production process to allow line 11 to exhibit different on / off states. In other embodiments, after the lines 11 are laid out, some lines 11 can be physically damaged to create an off state, while others remain on. In the above solutions, the location of the physical damage is set in the same direction as the damage to the multiple through holes 133 along the first direction. This ensures that after the equipment is disassembled, the disassembly personnel cannot determine whether the original state of line 11 was off by observing the damaged location.

[0052] In this way, the disconnection position of the disconnected wire 132 is located on the straight line of multiple through holes 133 along the first direction, so that it is impossible to identify whether the original wire 132 is disconnected after the device is disassembled, thereby strengthening the anti-tamper protection and preventing the device from being dismantled and cracked by reverse repair after disassembly.

[0053] In one embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, Figure 5 This is a structural schematic diagram of the fifth embodiment of the anti-tamper device provided in this application; at least two wire segments of each wire 132 are inserted into the vulnerable area 131.

[0054] In one embodiment, each wire 132 is arranged in a circuitous manner, such that at least two wire segments of each wire 132 pass through the vulnerable area 131. It is understood that in other embodiments, each wire 132 may have multiple wire segments passing through the vulnerable area 131; the number of wire segments is not specifically limited and can be set according to the specific implementation plan. By setting multiple wire segments of each wire 132 in the vulnerable area 131 in the above manner, it is ensured that the wires 132 can be completely destroyed when the equipment is disassembled, thus improving protection.

[0055] Understandably, in some embodiments, when the backplane is directly connected to the system ground, the second end of each line is grounded (i.e., one end of the line is directly fixed to the backplane to satisfy the line grounding requirement). In other embodiments, the backplane is made of insulating material, therefore, a method such as... Figure 5 In the proposed solution, wire 132 is arranged in a roundabout manner, with the grounded end of wire 132 and the pull-up module 20 located on the same side. Figure 5 The pull-up module 20, controller 30, and grounding terminal of wire 132 are all located on the same side and coupled to the motherboard (i.e., Figure 5 (Region A), so that the grounding terminal of conductor 132 can be easily coupled to the motherboard ground via the motherboard; the other end of the circuitous route is connected to the backplane (i.e., Figure 5 (Central B area).

[0056] By using the above method, multiple conductor segments of the conductor 132 are placed in the vulnerable area 131 to increase the probability of damage to the conductor 132 during equipment disassembly and improve the anti-dismantling performance of the equipment.

[0057] In one embodiment, at least two conductor segments are not adjacent to each other. It is understood that by ensuring that at least two conductor segments are not adjacent to each other, the effectiveness of conductor 132 in preventing damage during the disassembly of the device is guaranteed, thereby increasing the probability of damage to conductor 132 during the disassembly process, improving the anti-tamper performance of the device, and better achieving anti-tamper protection.

[0058] To address the aforementioned problems, this application also provides a communication device 200, such as... Figure 6 As shown, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first embodiment of the communication device provided in this application; the communication device 200 is provided with an anti-tamper device 100 as described in any of the above embodiments.

[0059] In one embodiment, the communication device 200 is a walkie-talkie. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the communication device 200 may also include, for example, a smartphone, smartwatch, tablet computer, etc. For other device terminals that require tamper protection, the tamper protection device 100 solution described in this application can also be used to protect the information security of the device terminal.

[0060] In one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the communication device provided in this application; the housing 210 of the communication device 200 includes a backplate 220, and the first end of the vulnerable unit 10 is fixed inside the backplate 220. Since the mainboard of the communication device 200 is generally protected by the backplate 220, that is, to crack the device, it is necessary to crack the data through the mainboard. Therefore, the backplate 220 needs to be removed before the mainboard can be connected. Fixing one end of the vulnerable unit 10 to the backplate 220 can protect the mainboard of the device. During the disassembly of the device, the backplate 220 needs to be disassembled, and the disassembly of the backplate 220 will cause damage to the vulnerable unit 10, thereby achieving information security protection for the device.

[0061] This application provides an anti-tamper device 100 and a communication device 200. Multiple lines 11 in the vulnerable unit 10 are set with random on / off states, and the device is detected and judged based on these states to determine whether it has been disassembled. After the device is disassembled, all lines 11 in the vulnerable unit are damaged and disconnected. Due to the randomly set on / off states, the original on / off states of the lines 11 cannot be restored after the device is disassembled, effectively ensuring the information security of the device. Furthermore, the anti-tamper device 100 is powered by the communication device 200, requiring no backup battery, and the protection time is not affected by battery life limitations.

[0062] The embodiments of this application have been described in detail above. Specific examples have been used to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. The description of the above embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of this application. At the same time, for those skilled in the art, there will be changes in the specific implementation methods and application scope based on the ideas of this application. Therefore, the content of this specification should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

Claims

1. An anti-tamper device, characterized in that, The anti-tamper device is installed in the communication equipment, and the anti-tamper device includes: A vulnerable unit, the first end of which is fixed inside the housing of the communication device, the vulnerable unit includes multiple lines, some of which are in a conducting state and others are in a disconnected state; A pull-up module is provided, wherein the pull-up module is coupled to the first end of each of the lines, and the coupling point between the pull-up module and each line is connected to the controller of the communication device, wherein the pull-up module is powered by the communication device, and the second end of each of the lines is grounded; When the communication device is disassembled, all the lines in the vulnerable unit are disconnected, and the controller receives an electrical signal indicating that the communication device has been disassembled.

2. The anti-tamper device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vulnerable unit includes: Multiple vulnerable wires form multiple lines, and the target wire segments of the multiple vulnerable wires are fixed inside the housing of the communication device as the first end of the vulnerable unit.

3. The anti-tamper device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vulnerable unit includes: A flexible circuit board, the first end of which is fixed inside the housing of the communication device, has a vulnerable area and at least two wires on it, the at least two wires passing through the vulnerable area; wherein, the at least two wires form the plurality of lines, some of the wires in the vulnerable area are disconnected, and the remaining wires are connected in the vulnerable area.

4. The anti-tamper device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Multiple through holes are spaced apart along a first direction in the vulnerable area. When the communication device is disassembled, the multiple through holes are damaged along the first direction, so that all the wires in the vulnerable area are disconnected.

5. The anti-tamper device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The disconnection point of the disconnected wire is located on the straight line along the first direction where the plurality of through holes are located.

6. The anti-tamper device according to claim 3, characterized in that, At least two conductor segments of each conductor are laid through the vulnerable area.

7. The anti-tamper device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The pull-up module includes multiple resistors, each resistor being coupled to a first end of one of the lines, and the coupling point of each resistor to each line being connected to the controller of the communication device.

8. A communication device, characterized in that, The communication device is provided with an anti-tampering device as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. The communication device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The communication device is a walkie-talkie.

10. The communication device according to claim 8, characterized in that, The housing of the communication device includes a back plate, and the first end of the vulnerable unit is fixed to the inside of the back plate.

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