Set Top Box Security Pathway Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media processing systems face challenges in integrating untrusted software frameworks with secure operating systems while maintaining compliance with industry certification standards and security measures, particularly in devices like set top boxes, where unsecured components can compromise the security of secure pathways.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize application-based security definitions to dynamically establish and manage media pathways with varying security levels, employing key management and certification support systems to segregate trusted and untrusted components, allowing for adaptive construction of secure or unsecure pathways based on security requirements, and enabling flexible compliance with certification procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If untrusted software frameworks are integrated into set top boxes to provide application programming interface functionality and platform independence, then adaptability and functionality are improved, but security compliance and certification reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the media pathway into multiple components with different security levels. Trusted components (secure OS, certified modules) are separated from untrusted components (software frameworks, applications). Each component is certified independently according to its security level, allowing the overall system to achieve certification while supporting untrusted frameworks.
Solution Approach 2:
A security management intermediary is introduced that mediates between untrusted software frameworks and the secure operating system. This intermediary enforces security policies, controls access between trusted and untrusted zones, and ensures that framework operations comply with certification requirements without compromising the secure pathway.
2Reliability
If a single secure and certified pathway is designed through all components of the set top box, then security compliance is improved, but adaptability and functionality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the media pathway are assigned different security qualities. The secure pathway components maintain high security certification, while framework components operate at lower security levels. Each component's security level matches its actual trust requirements, allowing the system to achieve certification for critical pathways while enabling flexible functionality in non-critical areas.
3Reliability
If hardware boundaries are created to separate certified pathways from untrusted components, then security compliance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating complex hardware boundaries, a software-based security management intermediary is used to separate trusted and untrusted components. This intermediary layer provides the necessary isolation and security enforcement through software mechanisms, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining security compliance.
4Reliability
If digital certificates are embedded in devices at manufacture to authenticate devices and prevent pirating, then security compliance is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication mechanism is segmented into hardware-embedded certificates for critical device identity and software-based security management for operational authentication. This allows essential authentication functionality to be manufactured simply while maintaining security compliance through software certification of the media pathway components.
Data Source
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AI summary
A media processing device, such as a set top box, having selectable hardware and software components for forming media pathways compliant with security definitions provided by downloaded or preinstalled software applications. Such applications may include, for example, a downloadable conditional access security or DRM element/definition. A corresponding certification process can entail certifying a portion of an overall secure pathway, with one or more applications providing the final portion of the certification. Alternatively, predefined conditional access mechanisms are provided, with an application establishing which mechanism is to be used. In various embodiments, a set top box or resident software application may exchange capabilities with other devices in a media consumption network to compare against the requirements of the software application. Once the information exchange is complete, the software application may select which one or more modes of operation or media pathways, if any, that it will permit.