Mobile App Cryptographic Initialization Across Diverse Security Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing uniform security standards across mobile devices from different manufacturers is challenging due to the difficulty in managing diverse security elements and cryptographic functions, especially when devices transition from secure production environments to user-controlled operation.
Innovation Solution
A method for initializing application-specific cryptographic security functions on mobile devices by installing a local security management program module, selecting and initializing security elements through an encrypted channel using a cryptographic key, and establishing cryptographic coupling with applets to provide application-specific security functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple security elements from different manufacturers are used to provide cryptographic security functions, then the adaptability and versatility of security solutions is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of managing diverse security elements increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a security management service as an intermediary layer between the application and multiple diverse security elements. This service abstracts the heterogeneity of different security elements (from different manufacturers with different interfaces and protocols) and provides a unified management interface. The security management service handles the complexity of selecting, initializing, and coordinating multiple security elements, allowing applications to access cryptographic functions without directly dealing with the underlying complexity of diverse security hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The security management service is designed as a universal component that can manage multiple types of security elements from different manufacturers through a common interface. It implements multi-functionality by supporting various cryptographic operations (key generation, encryption, decryption, signing) across different security element types, thereby reducing the need for application-specific code for each security element type and simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Adaptability or versatility
If security elements are managed by external security management services rather than the device manufacturer, then the adaptability across different manufacturers' devices is improved, but the ease of operation and control increases for external services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the security element management functionality from the device manufacturer's control and relocates it to external security management services. This extraction allows the system to work across devices from different manufacturers by relying on external services that are not tied to any specific manufacturer's ecosystem. The security elements and their management are taken out of the manufacturer's proprietary domain and placed in a more universal external service domain, improving cross-manufacturer adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into distinct components: the security elements (hardware), the security management services (external software services), and the local security management program modules (on-device components). This segmentation allows each component to be developed and managed independently by different entities (manufacturers, external service providers), facilitating broader compatibility while maintaining operational simplicity through clear separation of responsibilities.
3Reliability
If application-specific cryptographic security functions are initialized through external security management services, then the reliability and security standard uniformity is improved, but the loss of time for initialization and setup increases
Solution Approach 1:
The security management services perform preliminary actions by pre-configuring and pre-initializing security elements before applications need to use them. The services maintain ready-to-use security elements with pre-established cryptographic capabilities, so when an application needs security functions, the initialization process is significantly shortened. The heavy lifting of security element setup is done in advance by the external management services, improving reliability while reducing actual initialization time for applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service mechanisms where the security management services automatically handle the initialization and configuration of security elements without requiring manual intervention or lengthy setup processes. The services autonomously manage the cryptographic security functions, selecting and initializing appropriate security elements based on application requirements, thereby reducing the time loss associated with manual security setup while maintaining high reliability through automated standardized procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for initialising application-specific cryptographic security functions for a mobile application (108) on a mobile terminal (100). The mobile terminal (100) comprises a plurality of security elements (112, 116) which can be used to provide the application-specific cryptographic security functions for the mobile application (108) and are each managed by an external security management service. For each of the external security management services of the plurality of security management services, a local security management program module (109, 111) is installed on the mobile terminal (100).