Electronic Gaming Machine Software Authentication via BIOS Hash Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electronic gaming machines lack effective methods to ensure the authenticity of software, particularly base and game data, which can lead to tampering and detrimental consequences for consumers and businesses.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the reading and processing of stored values from two software storage media to derive authentication values, calculating hash values, and comparing these values to enable or prevent software execution, ensuring authenticity through a BIOS-driven process at machine startup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If software authentication is not implemented, then the electronic gaming machine can execute any software without verification, but this leads to tampering with base data and game data, compromising security and integrity
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into multiple independent components: a first storage medium for base data, a second storage medium for game data, a BIOS authentication module, and a comparison module. Each component performs a specific function in the authentication process, allowing the system to verify software authenticity through distributed verification rather than a single complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary authentication actions by storing authentication values and hash values in advance on the first and second storage media. The BIOS code automatically executes authentication procedures at machine startup before software execution begins, ensuring that software integrity is verified beforehand to prevent tampering.
2Reliability
If automatic authentication is performed at machine startup, then software authenticity is ensured before execution, but the authentication process may delay the startup time of the electronic gaming machine
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication values and hash values are calculated and stored in advance on the first and second storage media before the electronic gaming machine needs to execute software. This preliminary preparation allows the authentication process to proceed quickly at machine startup without requiring real-time computation, thereby reducing startup time delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The BIOS code automatically performs authentication procedures without requiring external intervention or user input. The system uses its own stored authentication values and hash values to verify software integrity, making the authentication process self-contained and efficient, which helps minimize the time required during machine startup.
3Reliability
If hash values are calculated and compared for authentication, then software integrity is verified, but this requires additional processing steps and computational resources
Solution Approach 1:
Hash values are calculated and stored in advance on the first and second storage media during the software distribution or installation phase. This preliminary computation eliminates the need for expensive real-time hash calculations during machine startup, reducing the energy consumption required for authentication at execution time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pre-calculated hash values as copies or representations of the actual software data integrity. Instead of recalculating hash values during authentication, the system compares pre-stored hash values with current data, significantly reducing the computational energy required while maintaining verification reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein is technology for enabling authentication of software instructions used in gaming machines. More specifically, the technology is directed to a situation where an electronic gaming machine operates based on two separate sets of software, being base data and game data.