Device lifecycle distributed ledger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019065733-A1
Application number	US-201715689235-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Aug 29, 2017
Publication date	Feb 28, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A distributed ledger is used by one or more parties executing a ledger node to document a lifecycle of a device. When devices are manufactured, shipped, and used, attestation transactions are recorded to the distributed ledger that identify the devices and include attestation information about the device. The distributed ledger further supports command transactions that are used to change the behavior of the device, such as unlocking capabilities on the device. The distributed ledger provides a history of device attestation and activation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
generating attestation information associated with a storage device, the attestation information representing a status of the storage device; and transmitting an attestation transaction to a distributed ledger, the attestation transaction including the attestation information representing the status of the storage device, the attestation transaction providing a record of the status of the storage device accessible through the distributed ledger.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attestation information includes an access log of the storage device, the access log indicating one or more parties that have accessed the storage device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attestation information includes backup information indicating that data stored on the storage device is replicated to a backup storage device.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attestation information indicates that data stored on the storage device has been securely erased.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the attestation information indicates that the storage device has been destroyed.

6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the attestation information includes a component listing of one or more components used to manufacture the storage device.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the attestation information includes an indication that the storage device is locked.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the attestation information includes internal digital characteristics of the storage device.

9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the attestation transaction is generated by the storage device.

10 . One or more processor-readable storage media encoding processor-executable instructions for executing on a computer system a computer process, the computer process comprising:
receiving a command transaction via a distributed ledger, the command transaction identifying a storage device and including command information for the storage device, command information used by the storage device perform a command.

11 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 10 wherein the command the command information includes instructions to transmit an attestation transaction, the process further comprising:
generating attestation information associated with the storage device according to the command information, the attestation information representing a status of the storage device; and
transmitting the attestation transaction including the attestation information representing the status of the storage device.

12 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 11 wherein the attestation transaction is generated by the storage device and the attestation information includes internal digital characteristics of the storage device.

13 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 10 wherein the command transaction includes a certificate for activating a capability of the storage device.

14 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 10 wherein the command transaction includes instructions for disabling the storage device.

15 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 10 wherein the command transaction includes a key for unlocking storage capacity on the storage device.

16 . The one or more processor-readable storage media of claim 10 wherein the command transaction includes instructions to encrypt data stored on the storage device.

17 . A system comprising:
one or more processors; a memory; and a ledger node stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to support a distributed ledger by verifying an attestation transaction transmitted to the distributed ledger, the attestation transaction identifying a storage device including attestation information representing a status of the storage device, the attestation transaction providing a record of the status of the storage device accessible through the distributed ledger.

18 . The system of claim 17 wherein the ledger node is further executable to support the distributed ledger by verifying a command transaction transmitted to the distributed ledger, the command transaction identifying the storage device and including command information for the storage device, command information used by the storage device perform a command.

19 . The system of claim 17 wherein the ledger node is further executable to transmit a command transaction to the storage device, the command transaction identifying the storage device and including command information for the storage device, command information used by the storage device perform a command.

20 . The system of claim 17 wherein storage device includes the ledger node executable by the one or more processors, the ledger node further executable to transmit an attestation transaction to the distributed ledger, the attestation transaction generated on the storage device and including information attesting to internal digital characteristics of the storage device.

Assignees

• Seagate Technology Llc

Inventors

• Forehand Monty Aaron

Classifications

• G06F21/602

  Providing cryptographic facilities or services · CPC title

• H04L63/062

  for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819) · CPC title

• G06F21/445 Primary

  by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs · CPC title

• H04L9/08

  Key distribution {or management, e.g. generation, sharing or updating, of cryptographic keys or passwords (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting key management in a packet data network H04L63/06)} · CPC title

• H04L9/50 Primary

  using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees · CPC title