Puf hardware arrangement for increased throughput

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018129802-A1
Application number	US-201615347727-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 9, 2016
Priority date	Nov 9, 2016
Publication date	May 10, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for authenticating distributed peripherals on a computer network using an array of physically unclonable functions (PUF). As each PUF is unique, each PUF is able to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to that PUF. The integrated circuits of the PUF comprise a plurality of cells, where a parameter (such as a voltage) of each cell may be measured (possibly averaged over many readings). The plurality of cells in the PUF may be arranged in a one, two or more dimensional matrix. A protocol based on an addressable PUF generator (APG) allows the protection of a network having distributed peripherals such as Internet of things (IoT), smart phones, lap top and desk top computers, or ID cards. This protection does not require the storage of a database of passwords, or secret keys, and thereby is immune to traditional database hacking attacks.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for a host and an addressable physically unclonable function generator (H/APG) in a plurality of H/APGs to generate a password and authenticate a distributed peripheral, comprising the steps of:
determining by a matrix controller a first horizontal axis and a first vertical axis in a matrix of a plurality of H/APGs based on a user identification of a distributed peripheral; addressing by the matrix controller a first H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs using the first horizontal axis and the first vertical axis; generating by the first H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs a first password configured to reveal a challenge; transmitting the first password to the peripheral device; receiving by the matrix controller from the distributed peripheral the user identification and a second password; determining by the matrix controller a second horizontal axis and a second vertical axis in the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs based on the user identification; addressing by the matrix controller a second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs using the second horizontal axis and the second vertical axis; generating by the second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs a response; revealing by the second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs the challenge from the second password; comparing the challenge to the response; and upon determining the challenge matches the response within a predetermined statistical limit, authenticating the distributed peripheral.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user identification and/or the password are permanently stored on the distributed peripheral and not permanently stored anywhere else.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each array of PUFs comprises a memory array configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to each PUF due to manufacturing variations in the PUF as compared to other PUFs.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each PUF comprises an electronic component configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to the electronic component due to manufacturing variations in the electronic component as compared to other electronic component.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the distributed peripheral is a connected device in an Internet of Things.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs is configured so that two or more H/APGs in the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs may generate passwords and authenticate distributed peripherals at overlapping times.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs is configured so that two or more H/APGs in the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs may generate passwords or authenticate distributed peripherals at overlapping times.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs comprises three or more dimensions.

9 . A method for a host and an addressable physically unclonable function generator (H/APG) in a plurality of H/APGs to generate a password, comprising the steps of:
determining by a matrix controller a first horizontal axis and a first vertical axis in a matrix of a plurality of H/APGs based on a user identification of a distributed peripheral; addressing by the matrix controller a first H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs using the first horizontal axis and the first vertical axis; generating by the first H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs a first password configured to reveal a challenge; and transmitting the first password to the peripheral device.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the first password is permanently stored on the distributed peripheral and not permanently stored anywhere else.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each PUF comprises a memory array configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to the PUF due to manufacturing variations in the PUF as compared to other PUFs.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each PUF comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to the integrated circuit due to manufacturing variations in the integrated circuit as compared to other integrated circuits.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the distributed peripheral is a connected device in an Internet of Things.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs is configured so that two or more H/APGs in the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs may generate two or more passwords at overlapping times.

15 . A method for a host and an addressable physically unclonable function generator (H/APG) in a plurality of H/APGs to authenticate a distributed peripheral, comprising the steps of:
receiving by a matrix controller from a distributed peripheral a user identification and a second password; determining by the matrix controller a second horizontal axis and a second vertical axis in a matrix of a plurality of H/APGs based on the user identification; addressing by the matrix controller a second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs using the second horizontal axis and the second vertical axis; generating by the second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs a response; revealing by the second H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs a challenge from the second password; comparing the challenge to the response; and upon determining the challenge matches the response within a predetermined statistical limit, authenticating the distributed peripheral.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the first password is permanently stored on the distributed peripheral and not permanently stored anywhere else.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each PUF in the array of PUFs comprises a memory array configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to the PUF due to manufacturing variations in the PUF as compared to other PUFs.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein each H/APG in the plurality of H/APGs comprises an array of PUFs and each PUF in the array of PUFs comprises an integrated circuit configured to generate a plurality of challenge response pairs that are unique to the integrated circuit due to manufacturing variations in the integrated circuit as compared to other integrated circuits.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the distributed peripheral is a connected device in an Internet of Things.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs is configured so that two or more H/APGs in the matrix of the plurality of H/APGs may authenticate two or more distributed peripherals at overlapping times.

Assignees

• Univ Northern Arizona

Inventors

• Cambou Bertrand Francis

Classifications

• G09C1/00

  Apparatus or methods whereby a given sequence of signs, e.g. an intelligible text, is transformed into an unintelligible sequence of signs by transposing the signs or groups of signs or by replacing them by others according to a predetermined system (cryptographic typewriters G09C3/00) · CPC title

• H04L9/3278 Primary

  using physically unclonable functions [PUF] · CPC title

• G06F21/44

  Program or device authentication · CPC title

• G06F2221/2103

  Challenge-response · CPC title

• G06F21/46 Primary

  by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords · CPC title