Method and apparatus for supporting dynamic change of authentication means secure booting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9971895-B2
Application number	US-201314138810-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 22, 2012
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

A method for supporting change of the authentication means for secure booting with the change of the trust root (root of trust) of the readymade electronic device and the electronic device therefor is provided. The secure boot generation method of an electronic device of the present disclosure includes storing plural initial certificates including a first initial certificate and a second initial certificate, designating the first initial certificate as a root certificate for secure booting of the electronic device, and switching the initial certificate from the first initial certificate to the second initial certificate in response to a request. Various other embodiments are possible.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a first memory configured to store a plurality of initial certificates comprising a first initial certificate and a second initial certificate, each initial certificate being configured to be a first certificate used to verify a boot image of the electronic device;
a second memory configured to store a certificate selection information indicating an initial certificate selected among the first and second initial certificates;
a third memory configured to store instructions; and
at least one processor,
wherein, upon execution of the instructions, the at least one processor is configured to:
verify the first initial certificate using a first trusted root,
verify the boot image of the electronic device using the first initial certificate as the first certificate used to verify the boot image for a boot of the electronic device,
enable, by the first initial certificate, a first security level for the electronic device,
boot the electronic device by the boot image verified by the first initial certificate,
receive an indication to switch certificates from the first initial certificate to the second initial certificate,
verify the second initial certificate using a second trusted root,
verify the boot image of the electronic device using the second initial certificate to as the first certificate used to verify the boot image for a subsequent boot of the electronic device,
enable, by the second initial certificate, a second security level for the electronic device, and
subsequently boot the electronic device by the boot image verified using the second initial certificate as the first certificate used to verify the boot image for the subsequent boot, and

wherein the first and second security levels are different security levels, and the first and second trusted roots are different trusted roots.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the indication to switch certificates is received after the electronic device is sold.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second memory comprises a memory programmable at least once.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first initial certificate comprises a public key of a manufacturer of the electronic device, and the second initial certificate comprises a public key of a user.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first initial certificate comprises a first public key of a manufacturer of the electronic device, and the second initial certificate comprises a second public key of the manufacturer.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to check an electronic signature corresponding to a binary code of at least a part of the boot image according to the certificate selection information.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the binary code, and
wherein the binary code has been verified successfully according to a result of the checking of the electronic signature.

8. The electronic device of claim 6 ,
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to execute the binary code, and
wherein the binary code failed in verification according to a result of the checking of the electronic signature.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
store an electronic signature generated by signing one of original or contracted versions of the boot image with a private key corresponding to a public key of the second initial certificate, and
verify the electronic signature based on the second initial certificate.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to verify the electronic signature based on the public key.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein the second memory is further configured to store user identity information, and
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to verify the boot image based on at least one of the second initial certificate or the user identity information.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to verify the boot image using the second initial certificate based on information recorded at a part of the boot image.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the part of the boot image comprises a header of the boot image.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one interface configured to receive the indication to switch certificates from outside of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to activate:
when the boot image is verified based on the first initial certificate, a first function group of the electronic device, and
when the boot image is verified based on the second initial certificate, a second function group of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to switch, when the first initial certificate is switched to the second initial certificate, the boot image from a first boot image corresponding to the first initial certificate to a second boot image corresponding to the second initial certificate.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Rhee Injong
• Ning Peng
• Kim Youngkyoo
• Kim Youngjip
• Jang Dongho
• Cho Siejoon

Classifications

• G06F21/575 Primary

  Secure boot · CPC title

• G06F21/57

  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

• H04W88/02

  Terminal devices · CPC title

• G06F21/64

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