Supply Chain Certificates for Component Authenticity Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current supply chain management in Information Handling Systems (IHS) faces challenges in ensuring the authenticity and quality of components, particularly due to the complexity of modern supply chains, the risk of counterfeit or substandard components, and the lack of real-time verification and end-to-end traceability, leading to potential performance, reliability, and security issues.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that generates and manages supply chain certificates using cryptographic techniques, including Certificate Signing Requests (CSRs) and extending Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) certificates with OEM-specific encrypted blobs to verify component authenticity and quality, ensuring components meet manufacturer requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional supply chain management is used, then the system is simple to operate, but the reliability and security of components cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent authenticityVSAvoidcertification system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The certification system is segmented into distinct roles: OEMs issue digital certificates to suppliers, suppliers issue CSRs to manufacturers, and manufacturers issue supply chain certificates to components. This segmentation allows each entity to perform specific verification functions, ensuring component authenticity while maintaining system manageability through clear responsibility division.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Digital certificates and CSRs serve as intermediaries between OEMs, suppliers, and manufacturers. These cryptographic artifacts mediate the trust relationship by providing verifiable proof of component origin and authenticity, enabling reliable supply chain management without requiring direct complex interactions between all parties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If real-time verification is implemented, then the reliability and security are enhanced, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupply chain securityVSAvoidverification time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

OEMs issue digital certificates to suppliers in advance before component manufacturing. Suppliers then use these pre-issued certificates to generate CSRs when receiving manufacturing requests. This preliminary issuance of certification artifacts enables rapid verification during the actual component supply process, reducing real-time verification time while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback loops where manufacturers verify component authenticity against previously issued digital certificates and CSRs. This feedback mechanism allows real-time verification of component supply chain integrity by comparing current component information with pre-established cryptographic records, ensuring security without requiring extensive processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If comprehensive verification is performed, then the manufacturing precision and quality control are improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality standard complianceVSAvoidverification process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification process replaces complex manual inspection and documentation systems with automated cryptographic verification. Manufacturers simply need to verify digital signatures and certificate validity rather than performing comprehensive physical inspection, reducing verification complexity while maintaining or improving quality control precision through automated validation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the verification parameters from physical dimension measurements to cryptographic parameter validation. Instead of verifying component dimensions and physical properties in detail, the system verifies cryptographic parameters (digital certificate validity, signature authenticity, timestamp accuracy) that provide sufficient evidence of quality standard compliance with simpler verification processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20260017672A1Systems and methods for handling supply chain certificates

Publication Date: 2026.01.15 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

Systems and methods for handling supply chain certificates are described. In an illustrative, non-limiting embodiment, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may store program instructions that, upon execution, cause the IHS to receive a message from a supplier identifying a device. The IHS may verify the device against a Purchase Order (PO) database of an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and may send encrypted material to the supplier. The supplier may generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for the device comprising the encrypted material. The supplier may receive a digital certificate in response to the CSR and stores the certificate in the device. The system may ensure the authenticity and quality of components throughout the supply chain using cryptographic techniques.