Secure Audio Channel Using Vocoder Bit-Rate Limiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computer systems face security risks due to high-speed data transfer capabilities of audio channels, which can be exploited for data theft and unauthorized data transfer, and lack security measures for analog audio peripherals.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a vocoder to compress audio data streams to low bit-rate digital information indicative of human speech, ensuring unidirectional flow, and decoding back to standard audio signals, while using hardware bit-rate limiters to restrict data transfer rates and prevent non-speech signal transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If audio channels are left unprotected, then voice communication functionality is maintained, but data theft and unauthorized data transfer become possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the bit-rate parameter of the audio channel to a very low value (e.g., 300 bps) that is sufficient for voice communication but insufficient for data theft. This parameter transformation maintains the channel's usability for its intended purpose while eliminating its vulnerability to exploitation for unauthorized data transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bit-rate limiter as an intermediary device between the audio channel and the external world. This intermediary component monitors and restricts the data flow through the audio channel, allowing only low-bit-rate signals that are characteristic of voice communication while blocking higher-bit-rate data theft attempts.
2Reliability
If bit-rate is reduced to prevent data theft, then security is improved, but voice communication quality may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent carefully selects a bit-rate value (e.g., 300 bps) that represents an optimal balance point - low enough to prevent data theft but high enough to maintain acceptable voice communication quality. This precise parameter selection ensures that the security measure does not unduly degrade the intended functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
A security device for hindering data theft and data leaks via audio channel of a computer system is based on passing the audio signals through a coding vocoder that receives input audio signal from a computer and compressing the signal to a low bit-rate digital data indicative of human speech; and a decoding vocoder that decompress the digital data back to a secure audio signal. The data transfer of the protected audio channel is intentionally limited not to exceed the bit-rate needed to carry vocoder-compressed human speech which is well below the capabilities of unprotected audio channel. Both analog and digital audio ports may be protected. Hardware bit-rate limiter protect the system from software hacking.