Storage Digital Identity Verification for Supply Chain Tampering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Supply chains are vulnerable to cyberattacks where malicious software or hardware can be embedded in storage systems during transit, which are not detected by the customer's cybersecurity systems, leading to potential security breaches in data centers.

Innovation Solution

A digital identity is created for each storage system using cryptographic hash functions on embedded software parameters, signed with a manufacturer's certificate, and stored in a global repository. This identity is verified upon installation in the customer's network to detect any unauthorized or malicious changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a digital component is shipped through third-party supply chain channels, then delivery to end user is enabled, but the component becomes vulnerable to malicious software insertion and tampering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedelivery capabilityVSAvoidcomponent integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A digital identity is created and stored in a global repository before the component is shipped. This preliminary action enables later verification of the component's integrity without interfering with the supply chain delivery process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A global repository acts as an intermediary between the manufacturer and the end user, storing and verifying the digital identity of components. This mediator enables trust verification without requiring direct control over the supply chain channels.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If cybersecurity systems are deployed to detect malicious software, then security detection capability is improved, but the systems cannot detect tampering that occurs in uncontrolled third-party channels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemalicious software detectionVSAvoidsupply chain coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of trying to monitor physical components through the supply chain, the system creates and verifies a digital copy (digital identity) of the component's software parameters. This digital verification can be performed remotely without physical presence in the supply chain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The verification moves from physical space (monitoring components in third-party warehouses) to digital space (verifying digital identities in a global repository). This dimensional shift enables verification without physical supply chain control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If a global repository stores digital identities for verification, then component authenticity verification is enabled, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentity verification accuracyVSAvoidverification system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification functionality is extracted from individual organizational systems and consolidated into a centralized global repository. This extraction eliminates the need for each organization to maintain separate verification infrastructures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The global repository serves multiple functions: storing digital identities, verifying component authenticity, and providing a universal verification mechanism for all supply chain participants. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures the integrity of storage systems by detecting and alerting to any unauthorized modifications during transit, preventing malicious software from being introduced into the customer's network, and providing a separate verification process that is not influenced by untrusted environments.

Implementation Method 1

creating a unique digital identity for the digital component using parameters of the embedded software

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCryptographic hash function:

Data Source

PatentUS12547715B2Storage identity validation for a supply chain

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Systems and methods for validating digital components comprise manufacturing a digital component for a computer network, wherein the digital component includes embedded software, creating a unique digital identity for the digital component using parameters of the embedded software, and storing the unique digital identity to a global repository. The method further comprises shipping the digital component to an end user, receiving a query at the global repository to verify an installed digital identity associated with a component being installed in an end user network, and determining whether the installed digital identity matches the unique digital identity. The digital component may be a storage system. The computer network may be a data center or an information handling system (IHS).