System and method for securely initializing and booting a security appliance
US8116455B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 14, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 24, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L63/06
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method provides for secure initialization and booting of a security appliance. The security appliance cooperates with a “smart” system card to provide cryptographic information needed to boot the security appliance in accordance with a secure boot procedure. The initialization procedure commences once the security appliance detects the presence of the smart card. The smart card and an encryption processor perform an authentication and key exchange procedure to establish a secure communication channel between them. The system card then loads a twice wrapped master key from a configuration database and decrypts the master key using a key associated with the system card. The wrapped master key is then forwarded via the secure communication channel to the encryption processor, which decrypts the wrapped key using a key associated therewith and enters an operating state using the decrypted master key.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.