Methods and apparatus for large scale distribution of electronic access clients

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9843585-B2
Application number	US-201614995154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2016
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for large scale distribution of electronic access control clients. In one aspect, a tiered security software protocol is disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, a server electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) and client eUICC software comprise a so-called “stack” of software layers. Each software layer is responsible for a set of hierarchical functions which are negotiated with its corresponding peer software layer. The tiered security software protocol is configured for large scale distribution of electronic Subscriber Identity Modules (eSIMs).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for replacing compromised digital certificates associated with electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Cards (eUICCs) included in mobile devices, the method comprising:
at an eUICC management server:
receiving an indication that a signing authority associated with a plurality of digital certificates has been compromised; and
in response to the indication, and for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates:
identifying (i) an eUICC associated with the digital certificate, and (ii) a mobile device in which the eUICC is included, and
causing the eUICC of the mobile device to replace the digital certificate with an updated digital certificate when the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate, wherein
the updated digital certificate is based on (i) a public key (PK eUICC ) that corresponds to the eUICC, and (ii) an updated private key (SK Updated _ SA ) that corresponds to the signing authority, and
the public key (PK eUICC ) is identified based on a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) associated with the digital certificate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate when a second epoch property included in the updated digital certificate exceeds a first epoch property included in the digital certificate.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the public key (PK eUICC ) further corresponds to the digital certificate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate and the updated digital certificate are associated with (i) the PK eUICC , and (ii) a private key (SK eUICC ) that corresponds to the PK eUICC .

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate is digitally signed using an original private key (SK Original _ SA ) that corresponds to the signing authority, and the SK Original _ SA is compromised.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the SK Updated _ SA is generated by the signing authority in response to a corruption of the SK Original _ SA .

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in an electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) management server, cause the eUICC management server to replace compromised digital certificates associated with eUICCs included in mobile devices, by carrying out steps that include:
receiving an indication that a signing authority associated with a plurality of digital certificates has been compromised; and
in response to the indication, and for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates:
identifying (i) an eUICC associated with the digital certificate, and (ii) a mobile device in which the eUICC is included, and
causing the eUICC of the mobile device to replace the digital certificate with an updated digital certificate when the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate, wherein:
the updated digital certificate is based on (i) a public key (PK eUICC ) that corresponds to the eUICC, and (ii) an updated private key SK Updated _ SA ) that corresponds to the signaling authority, and
the public key (PK eUICC ) is identified based on a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) associated with the digital certificate.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate when a second epoch property included in the updated digital certificate exceeds a first epoch property included in the digital certificate.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the public key (PK eUICC ) further corresponds to the digital certificate.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein, for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate and the updated digital certificate are associated with (i) the PK eUICC , and (ii) a private key (SK eUICC ) that corresponds to the PK eUICC .

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein:
for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate is digitally signed using an original private key (SK Original _ SA ) that corresponds to the signing authority, and the SK Original _ SA is compromised.

12. An electronic Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) management server configured to replace compromised digital certificates associated with eUICCs included in mobile devices, the eUICC management server comprising a processor configured to cause the eUICC management server to carry out steps that include:
receiving an indication that a signing authority associated with a plurality of digital certificates has been compromised; and
in response to the indication, and for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates:
identifying (i) an eUICC associated with the digital certificate, and (ii) a mobile device in which the eUICC is included, and
causing the eUICC of the mobile device to replace the digital certificate with an updated digital certificate when the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate, wherein:
the updated digital certificate is based on (i) a public key (PK eUICC ) that corresponds to the eUICC, and (ii) an updated private key (SK Updated _ SA ) that corresponds to the signaling authority, and
the public key (PK eUICC ) is identified based on a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) associated with the digital certificate.

13. The eUICC management server of claim 12 , wherein the updated digital certificate is newer than the digital certificate when a second epoch property included in the updated digital certificate exceeds a first epoch property included in the digital certificate.

14. The eUICC management server of claim 12 , wherein the public key (PK eUICC ) further corresponds to the digital certificate.

15. The eUICC management server of claim 12 , wherein, for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate and the updated digital certificate are associated with (i) the PK eUICC , and (ii) a private key (SK eUICC ) that corresponds to the PK eUICC .

16. The eUICC management server of claim 14 , wherein:
for each digital certificate of the plurality of digital certificates, the digital certificate is digitally signed using an original private key (SK Original _ SA ) that corresponds to the signing authority, and the SK Original _ SA is compromised.

17. The eUICC management server of claim 16 , wherein the SK Updated _ SA is generated by the signing authority in response to a corruption of the SK Original _ SA .

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Haggerty David T
• Hauck Jerrold Von
• Juang Ben-Heng
• Li Li
• Mathias Arun G
• Mclaughlin Kevin
• Narasimhan Avinash
• Sharp Christopher
• Vaid Yousuf H
• Yang Xiangying

Classifications

• H04L63/06

  for supporting key management in a packet data network (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08) · CPC title

• H04W8/183

  Processing at user equipment or user record carrier · CPC title

• H04L63/0853 Primary

  using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234) · CPC title

• H04L63/10 Primary

  for controlling access to devices or network resources · CPC title

• H04W8/18

  Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data · CPC title