Non-volatile Memory EMID Anti-cloning Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current authentication methods for non-volatile memory devices are vulnerable to cloning and fraudulent authentication, as they do not effectively prevent mass production of clone devices or interception of security identifiers, leading to financial losses for content providers and manufacturers.

Innovation Solution

A non-volatile memory with an Enhanced Media Identification (EMID) area that generates noise upon request, modifying the EMID with arbitrary values to prevent direct access and cloning, using an EMID encoder and decoder to ensure secure authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current authentication methods using read-only identifier storage are used, then device authentication can be performed, but the system is vulnerable to cloning attacks and fraudulent authentication

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidcloning attacks
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the identifier storage from the main memory area and places it in a specifically designated read-only area that is inaccessible to hosts and controllers. This separation isolates the security-critical identifier from potential attacks on the main storage system, preventing cloning even if the main memory is compromised.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The identifier is written to the read-only area during the manufacturing process before the device is deployed. This preliminary action ensures that the security identifier is established under controlled conditions and cannot be modified later, preventing post-manufacturing cloning attacks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If watermarking or fingerprinting is inserted into hardware during chip design, then post-tracing security piracy can be discovered, but piracy cannot be prevented in advance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepiracy detectionVSAvoidpreventive security
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary read-only area that acts as a mediator between the hardware identifier and the authentication system. This intermediary layer provides both detection capability (by enabling identifier verification) and preventive security (by making the identifier inaccessible for cloning), resolving the timing conflict between detection and prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a malicious controller intercepts an identifier by changing firmware, then fraudulent authentication can be performed, but the identifier remains vulnerable to interception

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefirmware flexibilityVSAvoididentifier security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the storage system into multiple areas with different access permissions: a read-only area for identifiers that is inaccessible to hosts and controllers, and a main memory area for regular data operations. This segmentation allows firmware flexibility in the main area while protecting identifier security in the isolated read-only area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2583213B1Non-volatile memory for Anti-cloning and authentication method for the same
Publication Date: 2019.04.17 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP2583213B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2583213B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2583213B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A non-volatile memory for anti-cloning is provided. The non-volatile memory includes an Enhanced Media Identification (EMID) area, which is located in a specific area of the non-volatile memory, and stores an EMID for identification of the non-volatile memory; and an EMID encoder for modifying the EMID by a preset operation with an arbitrary value.