Dual-Region Program Integrity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing program update technologies are vulnerable to cyberattacks and require significant preliminary management, increasing operation loads when updating millions of information processing apparatuses, as they cannot ensure the integrity of starting region information post-update.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus with a dual storage region configuration, where each region stores different program versions and up-to-dateness information, determines updates based on received up-to-dateness information and starts the program from the most up-to-date region, ensuring integrity and reducing operational load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If program update is performed using existing technologies, then the program can be updated to a new version, but the starting region information may be tampered with or compromised by cyberattacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by verifying the integrity of the update program and starting region information before the update is executed. A verification unit checks the update program and compares starting region information before and after the update to detect any tampering in advance, preventing compromised programs from being installed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring and comparing starting region information before and after program updates. The verification unit provides feedback on the integrity status, and the system uses this feedback to determine whether to proceed with or rollback the update, creating a closed-loop security mechanism.
2Reliability
If starting region information is verified for each information processing apparatus, then the integrity can be guaranteed, but the operation load increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling each information processing apparatus to autonomously verify its own starting region information using locally stored verification data. The apparatus performs self-checks without requiring external intervention for each verification, reducing the operational burden on workers while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent reduces operation load by performing verification preparations in advance. Verification data is stored locally in each apparatus before updates occur, and the verification process automatically compares before-and-after states without requiring manual checking of each device, especially beneficial when managing millions of apparatuses.
3Ease of operation
If program update is performed without verification, then the operation load is reduced, but the program may be tampered with illegally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables automated self-verification where each information processing apparatus independently checks the authenticity of update programs using locally stored verification data. This automated process maintains operational simplicity while ensuring security, as the verification occurs automatically without adding manual complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs verification preparations in advance by storing verification data locally before updates occur. The actual verification process then automatically compares the update program against this pre-stored data, maintaining operational simplicity while ensuring authenticity through automated checks.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus that executes a program includes: a storage unit that includes a first region and a second region in which different versions of the same type of program are rewritably stored; and a computation unit that executes the program stored in the storage unit, in which each of the first region and the second region stores the program and up-to-dateness information regarding up-to-dateness of the program, the information processing apparatus determines whether or not to update the storage unit with the program based on the up-to-dateness information received together with the program to be updated, and the information processing apparatus starts the program with the up-to-dateness information indicating higher up-to-dateness among the programs stored in the respective regions.