Hearing Device Secure Session Key Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hearing devices face security challenges due to their limited computational power and memory, making them vulnerable to unauthorized access and attacks such as spoofing, man-in-the-middle, and replay attacks, which can lead to malfunction or battery exhaustion.
Innovation Solution
A hearing device with a processing unit configured to receive and encrypt session keys, verify session data integrity, and terminate sessions if corrupted, using a hearing device key for secure communication and access control, thereby filtering out unauthorized communication and preventing power consumption by undesired parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a hearing device uses open standard-based wireless communication interface, then communication compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but security and reliability deteriorate due to vulnerability to unauthorized access and attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary security actions by establishing encryption key pairs (device key and controller key) before communication occurs. The hearing device generates and stores a device key, which is used to encrypt communication data in advance. This preliminary cryptographic setup ensures that even though the communication interface uses open standards for compatibility, the actual data transmission is secured against unauthorized access and attacks.
2Reliability
If a hearing device implements comprehensive security algorithms and protocols, then security and reliability are improved, but device complexity and computational requirements worsen beyond the capabilities of small hearing devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security functionality into distinct components: a device key stored in the hearing device, a controller key stored in the external controller, and specific encryption/decryption operations performed at different stages. This segmentation allows the hearing device to use simple encryption with its device key while the more complex key management and decryption operations are distributed to the external controller, reducing the computational burden on the hearing device itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary cryptographic key system where the device key and controller key act as mediators between the hearing device and external controllers. Instead of implementing complex security protocols directly in the hearing device, the system uses these intermediary keys to establish secure communication channels, with the external controller handling more computationally intensive cryptographic operations.
3Ease of operation
If a hearing device processes and communicates with all incoming data, then communication functionality is improved, but energy consumption worsens due to battery exhaustion attacks and unnecessary processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by encrypting data with the device key before transmission or storage. This pre-encryption allows the hearing device to quickly identify and filter out unauthorized or malicious data packets that cannot be properly decrypted, avoiding the need to process and analyze every incoming data packet in detail. This significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining full communication functionality for authorized devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A hearing device includes: a processing unit configured to compensate for hearing loss of a user of the hearing device; and an interface; wherein the processing unit is configured to: receive a session request for a session via the interface, obtain and store a session key, encrypt the session key based on a hearing device key, send a session response comprising the encrypted session key, and receive session data in the session via the interface.