Secure Circuit Provisioning via Embedded Cryptographic Primitives
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the context of electronic device manufacturing, there is a need to ensure secure provisioning of products across multiple parties, particularly to prevent unauthorized production and release of confidential information, as OEMs face challenges in verifying that contracted manufacturers adhere to production quantities and maintain confidentiality of design secrets.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of asymmetric public key cryptography techniques, including the use of message signing and code signing key pairs, to authenticate electronic circuits and securely provision devices, ensuring that only authorized entities access and execute production code, and that sensitive information is protected through secure communication channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If asymmetric public key cryptography techniques are implemented to authenticate electronic circuits and securely provision devices, then security and integrity of designs and data are improved, but device complexity and provisioning process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-provisioning electronic circuits with cryptographic primitives (asymmetric key pairs, hash functions, digital signature algorithms) during manufacturing. This allows the circuits to perform self-authentication and secure operations without requiring complex external provisioning infrastructure, thereby improving security while reducing operational complexity.
2Reliability
If cryptographic primitives are embedded in electronic circuits to enable secure operations, then security is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling electronic circuits to autonomously perform cryptographic operations using embedded primitives. The circuits can generate digital signatures, verify authenticity, and protect sensitive data without requiring external cryptographic hardware or complex manufacturing processes, thereby improving security while simplifying manufacturing.
3Reliability
If secure provisioning channels are established between electronic circuits and servers, then security is improved, but communication overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces provisioning time by performing cryptographic authentication and key exchange operations locally within the electronic circuit using embedded primitives. This eliminates the need for time-consuming secure channel establishment and repeated communication with external servers, thereby improving security while reducing time loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments include methods for securely provisioning copies of an electronic circuit. A first entity embeds one or more secret values into copies of the circuit. A second entity: 1) embeds a trust anchor in a first copy of the circuit; 2) causes the circuit to generate a message signing key pair using the trust anchor and the embedded secret value(s); 3) signs provisioning code using a code signing private key; and 4) sends a corresponding code signing public key, the trust anchor, and the signed provisioning code to a third entity. The third entity embeds the trust anchor in a second copy of the circuit and causes the circuit to: 1) generate the message signing private key; 2) verify the signature of the signed provisioning code using the code signing public key; and 3) launch the provisioning code on the circuit.