Secure Key Duplication Detection Using Hash Values
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumer electronics devices often unintentionally duplicate secure keys during production, leading to legal and functional issues, as direct comparison of encrypted keys is not feasible without compromising security.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where each device generates a hash value of its secure key and transmits it along with a linked device identifier to other devices or a remote server, allowing for comparison to detect duplicates without revealing the actual keys, using a hash function and detection function to identify and alert for potential duplicates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If direct comparison of encrypted secure keys is performed, then duplication detection accuracy is improved, but security of the keys is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a hash function as an intermediary that transforms secure keys into hash values. These hash values serve as mediators that preserve the ability to detect duplicates while maintaining key security, as the original keys cannot be reconstructed from hash values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a cryptographic copy (hash value) of the secure key that retains the duplicate-detection property while discarding the security-critical information. Multiple devices can share their hash values without exposing their actual secure keys.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If secure keys are transmitted for comparison, then duplication detection capability is improved, but risk of key exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
Hash values act as intermediaries that enable duplication detection communication without exposing the actual secure keys. Devices transmit hash values instead of keys, eliminating the security risk of key transmission while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the necessary property (duplicate-detectability) from the secure key by generating hash values, while leaving the security-critical properties intact and confidential on each device.
3Reliability
If hash values are used for comparison, then key security is maintained, but detection precision may be reduced due to hash collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hash values as a partial solution that provides sufficient precision for practical purposes while maintaining security. Rather than attempting perfect precision through key transmission, it accepts the theoretical limitation of hash collisions in exchange for security guarantees.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(c)
AI summary
A method and apparatus (100) are provided for detecting duplication of secure keys of consumer electronics devices (100). A detection function (202) receives two or more data pairs, each data pair being received from a respective consumer electronics device (100). Each data pair comprises a hash value of a secure key of a respective consumer electronics device (100) and a linked device identifier of that consumer electronics device (100). The detection function (202) determines whether or not a secure key of a first consumer electronics device (100a) is a duplicate of a secure key of a second consumer electronics device (100b) by comparing the hash value of the secure key of the first consumer electronics device (100a) with the hash value of the secure key of the second consumer electronics device (100b).