Secured RAM Memory Zone for Integrated Circuit Card Data Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Integrated circuit cards face security risks due to unauthorized access and data leakage, as they can store and reassemble harmless instructions into harmful ones or transmit sensitive information externally.

Innovation Solution

A dedicated memory zone in the RAM is secured by the processor unit, which alters and locks data before transmission, and verifies integrity using checksums to prevent unauthorized storage and data leakage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the RAM is used to store exchanged data and internal operating data, then the card can perform data exchange operations, but security risks arise as harmful instructions or sensitive data may be stored and transmitted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecard securityVSAvoiddata leakage and harmful instruction assembly

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the RAM into a dedicated memory zone specifically for exchanged data, separating it from other memory areas. This segmentation allows the processor unit to control and secure the exchanged data independently, preventing harmful instructions from being assembled from mixed data sources while maintaining normal data exchange operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If the processor unit allows free storage and access to data in RAM, then data exchange performance is maintained, but unauthorized access and data manipulation become possible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata exchange performanceVSAvoidunauthorized access and data manipulation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different security characteristics to different parts of the memory system. The dedicated memory zone for exchanged data has specific security attributes (controlled access, integrity verification) that are localized to that region, while other memory areas maintain their original access characteristics. This allows secure handling of exchanged data without degrading overall system performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The processor unit implements integrity verification mechanisms that monitor and verify the state of data in the dedicated memory zone. This feedback system detects unauthorized modifications or harmful data assembly attempts, allowing the system to maintain secure data exchange operations by continuously verifying data integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9183160B2Integrated circuit board with secured input/output buffer

Publication Date: 2015.11.10 IDEMIA FRANCE SAS

AI summary

An integrated circuit card including a processor unit associated with RAM and with data exchange means for exchanging data with an external device, the RAM including a memory zone dedicated to exchanged data, and the processor unit being arranged to secure the dedicated memory zone and to store the exchanged data in said zone, and a method of managing the RAM of such a card.