System and method for authenticating multiple separate objects using one signature via chain of trust

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10749686-B2
Application number	US-201815906639-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Mar 13, 2017
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A method is provided for authenticating two distinct objects using a single signature stored on one of the objects. On initiation of a hardware system a valid hash value can be generated based at least in part on a rootdisk file and a kernel can be modified to contain the valid hash value. On subsequent boots of the hardware system, the valid hash value stored within the kernel can be compared with a value of a potential rootdisk file and if the valid hash value and the rootdisk hash value match, the hardware system can proceed with the boot process.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of authentication comprising:
accessing a kernel;
determining a valid hash value associated with said kernel;
accessing a potential rootdisk;
determining a potential rootdisk hash value associated with said potential rootdisk, wherein said step of determining said potential hash value from said potential rootdisk is based at least in part on a hash table associated with said potential rootdisk;
comparing said valid hash value and said potential rootdisk hash value;
authenticating said potential rootdisk, if said valid hash value and said potential rootdisk hash value are identical x;
rejecting said potential rootdisk, if said valid hash value and said potential rootdisk hash value are other than identical;
determining said valid hash value from a valid rootdisk, wherein said step of determining said valid hash value from said valid rootdisk is based at least in part on a hash table associated with said valid rootdisk; and
encoding a valid hash value within said kernel.

2. The method of authentication of claim 1 further comprising:
rejecting said potential rootdisk, if said valid hash value and said potential rootdisk hash value are other than identical.

3. The method of authentication of claim 1 wherein said step of determining said potential hash value from said potential rootdisk is based at least in part on a hash table associated with said potential rootdisk.

Assignees

• Arris Entpr Llc

Inventors

• Quach Nguyen Thanh
• Anderes Walter H
• Berger David L

Classifications

• G06F21/57 Primary

  Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities · CPC title

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title

• H04L9/3236

  using cryptographic hash functions · CPC title

• G06F21/575

  Secure boot · CPC title

• H04L9/3247 Primary

  involving digital signatures · CPC title