Whitebox Encrypted Data Protection in Open Software Stacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
In open software stacks used in consumer electronics devices, confidential data is vulnerable to interception and compromise due to the involvement of multiple organizations in development, leading to potential code injection attacks and litigation risks for manufacturers.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that encrypts data using a global key and a device-unique hardware key, storing it in secure memory, and employs whitebox encoding to ensure that only encrypted data is propagated through the stack, using a whitebox decoder to decrypt the data securely within the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If open software stacks are used to enable multi-organization development, then device complexity and collaboration capability improve, but confidential data security deteriorates due to potential code injection attacks and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments confidential data into multiple encrypted components distributed across different secure memory locations. Each component is encrypted with a unique key, and the complete data can only be reconstructed when all components are properly decrypted and combined through the secure API interface, preventing any single organization from accessing the complete confidential data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a secure API interface as an intermediary layer between the open software stack and confidential data. This intermediary enforces strict access controls, validates all data requests, and mediates communication between multiple organizations, allowing collaboration while maintaining security boundaries that prevent code injection attacks.
2Ease of operation
If clear confidential data is transmitted through open stack layers, then data accessibility and functionality improve, but vulnerability to code injection attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the state of confidential data from clear text to multiple encrypted forms using different encryption keys. Data is transformed through various encryption parameters and stored in different security domains, maintaining functionality through controlled decryption while preventing code injection attacks that rely on accessing clear data in memory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested encryption where confidential data is encrypted multiple times with different keys at different security layers. Each encryption layer is like a nested doll, with the data protected by outer encryption layers that must be progressively decrypted through secure interfaces before reaching the innermost clear data state, which never exists in unprotected form in the open stack.
3Productivity
If multiple organizations contribute to the software stack, then development efficiency improves, but litigation risk increases due to potential data compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments access rights and data components so that each contributing organization only has access to specific encrypted portions they need for their function. This segmentation provides clear boundaries of responsibility and access, reducing litigation risk by ensuring no organization can compromise the complete confidential data set while maintaining development efficiency through specialized access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements secure feedback mechanisms through the controlled API interface that allow organizations to verify data integrity and proper encryption/decryption operations. This feedback system provides audit trails and verification that confidential data remains protected, reducing litigation risk by demonstrating compliance with security requirements while maintaining collaborative development.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for securely providing data for use in a consumer electronics device having a processor performing instructions defined in a software image. The method includes receiving the data encrypted according to a global key, further encrypting the data according to a device-unique hardware key, storing the further encrypted data in a secure memory of the consumer electronics device, providing the global key to a whitebox encoder for encoding according to a base key to generate a whitebox encoded global key, and transmitting the software image to the consumer electronics device for storage in an operating memory of the consumer electronics device, the software image having a whitebox decoder utility corresponding to the whitebox encoder and the whitebox encoded global key.