Secure Element Individualization Using Template-Based Boot Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing centralized personalization processes for secure elements, such as UICCs, are time-consuming and inefficient, often requiring reconfiguration after production due to initial personalization without knowing the device's final use, and lack decentralized personalization capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A secure element with a secure storage unit and control unit that uses predetermined replacement data for bootup, generates and stores secure individualization data based on external individualization unit requirements, and establishes secure communication, allowing decentralized data generation and individualization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If centralized personalization process is used for secure elements, then security is maintained in data generation and transfer, but production time increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The personalization process is segmented into two distinct phases: a centralized pre-personalization phase where template data is generated and stored in the secure element, and a decentralized individualization phase where unique data is derived locally using the template. This segmentation allows security-critical operations to be performed centrally while time-sensitive operations are performed decentralized, resolving the contradiction between security and production time.
Solution Approach 2:
The secure element is pre-personalized with template data and a template identifier before production. This preliminary action prepares the secure element with all necessary structural components and security frameworks, so that during actual production, only the time-sensitive unique data derivation is needed, dramatically reducing production time while maintaining security through the template-based approach.
2Productivity
If centralized personalization is performed before device activation, then unique data is generated in advance, but reconfiguration is needed when device use changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a dynamic template-based approach where the template data structure can adapt to different device types and use cases. The template identifier allows the same pre-personalized secure element to be configured for different purposes by deriving different unique data from the template, enabling post-production adaptation without re-personalization, thus maintaining both production efficiency and adaptability.
3Ease of manufacture
If pre-personalized secure elements are issued without knowing final use, then production can proceed, but additional infrastructure is needed at communication entities for data transfer and verification
Solution Approach 1:
The complex data generation and verification infrastructure is extracted from the communication entity and relocated to the secure element itself. The secure element performs local data derivation and verification using the template, eliminating the need for complex centralized infrastructure at communication entities while maintaining production simplicity.
4Adaptability or versatility
If unique data is generated for each secure element during production, then each element is individually customized, but the process becomes time-consuming and centralized
Solution Approach 1:
The time-consuming unique data generation is replaced by a preliminary template preparation phase where the secure element stores the template and identifier. During production, the unique data is quickly derived locally from the template, eliminating time loss while maintaining individualization through the template-based derivation process.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a secure element to securely communicate over a (mobile) communication network. The secure element comprises a secure storage unit in which an operating system and predetermined replacement data are stored and a secure control unit. The secure control unit is configured to boot up the operating system using the predetermined replacement data; provide a list of individualization requirements to an external individualization unit; generate secure individualization data based on the list of individualization requirements; store the generated secure individualization data in the secure storage unit; and establish a secure communication over the (mobile) communication network using the secure individualization data.