Wireless Device Random Seed Security via Base Unit Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices often have less than desirable randomness in their initial random seed data, which can compromise cryptographic security, especially after data wiping or unauthorized access, necessitating a method to securely add randomness.
Innovation Solution
A secure mechanism to add randomness to wireless communication devices through a random pool database, utilizing a secure data synchronization session between a mobile device and a base unit, which can generate or obtain new random data from software, hardware, or external sources, and store it for use in cryptographic functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If random seed data is initialized during manufacture or by known techniques, then the device can perform cryptographic functions, but the randomness of the seed data may be less than desirable compromising security
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by generating new random data at a base unit before transfer to the wireless device. This pre-generated random data replaces or supplements the factory-initialized seed, ensuring high-quality randomness is established before the device enters service, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and randomness quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit acts as an intermediary that generates high-quality random data and transfers it to the wireless device through a secure connection. This intermediary mechanism allows the device to obtain superior randomness without requiring complex manufacturing processes, thus improving cryptographic security while maintaining ease of manufacture.
2Reliability
If all stored data including random seed is wiped from device memory for security purposes, then unauthorized access is prevented, but the device loses its cryptographic functionality until randomness is restored
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit has the capability to generate random data in advance and store it securely. When a device requires security restoration after data wiping, the pre-generated random data can be immediately transferred, eliminating the time delay that would otherwise be required for the device to generate randomness itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit serves as an intermediary that provides pre-generated random data to the wireless device after security incidents. This mediator approach allows rapid restoration of cryptographic functionality without requiring the device to spend time generating randomness, thus reducing the loss of time while maintaining security protection.
3Reliability
If new random data is transferred via secure wired connection, then high security is maintained, but the ease of operation is reduced compared to wireless transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The base unit acts as a secure intermediary that handles the generation and transfer of random data through wired connections. By concentrating the security-critical wired transfer at the base unit level rather than requiring the mobile device to establish secure wired connections frequently, the system maintains high data transfer security while improving ease of operation for the end user.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication system which employs cryptographic functions requiring random data input in a mobile wireless device includes provisions for securely adding randomness to the mobile wireless device. Such added randomness can be securely provided during synchronizing sessions with a device user's base computer via secure wired and/or wireless connections. The new random data can be obtained by software and/or hardware random number generators accessible to the user's base computer and/or from accessible secure external sources (e.g., a secure website source of random data).