Protection of software using a challenge-response protocol embedded in the software

US6651169B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Glenn S. Benson · Newton, US
• Markus Dichtl · Birkenfeld, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 1997
• Grant date: Nov 18, 2003
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L2209/605
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method for protecting an item of software, wherein at least one challenge is associated with the protected item of software, and at least one response accesses one private keying material. The challenge has no access to the private keying material. The challenge and the response are generating shared secret information, respectively, in accordance with an asymmetric confidentiality scheme. The response proves that it discovered the shared secret and the challenge validates the proof. The challenge proof validation procedure uses the public keying material that corresponds to the response private keying material.