USB hub keypad
View Patent ↗A method and apparatus for securing a token from unauthorized use is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving a first message transmitted from a host processing device and addressed to a PIN entry device according to a universal serial bus (USB) protocol; accepting a PIN entered into the PIN entry device; and transmitting a second message comprising at least a portion of the first message and the PIN from the PIN entry device to the token along a secure communication path. In another embodiment, the present invention describes an apparatus for securing a token from unauthorized use, comprising a PIN entry device, communicably coupleable to a host processing device transmitting a first message addressed to the PIN entry device, and communicatively coupleable to the token according to a universal serial bus USB protocol, the PIN entry device comprising a user input device, for accepting a user-input PIN; and a processor, communicatively coupled to the user input device, the processor for receiving the first message and combining the first message with the user-input PIN, and for producing a second message having at least a portion of the first message and the user-input PIN.
1. A method for securing a token from unauthorized use, comprising:
intercepting by a hub a first message from the host processing device addressed to the token in the hub;
providing by the hub the intercepted message to a PIN entry device communicatively coupled to the hub, the PIN entry device being different from a keyboard associated with the host processing device;
accepting by the hub a second message from the PIN entry device comprising a user-entered PIN;
generating by the hub a third message from the second message, the third message comprising the user-entered PIN and at least a portion of the first message; and
transmitting the third message from the USB-compliant hub to the token.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
encrypting the third message according to a first encryption key stored in a memory of the token before transmitting the third message to the token.
3. An apparatus for securing a token from unauthorized use, comprising:
a USB-compliant hub, communicatively coupleable between a host processing device and the token, the USB-compliant hub having;
means for intercepting a message addressed to the PIN entry device;
means for generating a third message from the first message and a user-entered PIN; and
means for transmitting the third message to the token; and
a PIN entry device, communicatively coupled to a USB-compliant hub, for accepting a user-entered PIN and providing the user-entered PIN to the USB-compliant hub, the PIN entry device being different from a keyboard associated with the host processing device.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the means for intercepting a message addressed to the PIN entry device, the means for generating the third message from the first message and a user-entered PIN and the means for transmitting the third message to the token comprises at least one processor having at least one communicatively coupled memory storing processor. instructions for intercepting a message addressed to the PIN entry device, for generating the third message from the first message and a user-entered PIN, and for transmitting the third message to the token.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the USB-compliant hub further comprises a means for encrypting the third message according to an encryption key stored in a memory of the token.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the means for intercepting a message addressed to the PIN entry device, the means for generating the third message from the first message and a user-entered PIN, the means for encrypting the third message according to an encryption key stored in the memory of the token and the means for transmitting the third message to the token comprises at least one processor having at least one communicatively coupled memory storing processor instructions for intercepting a message addressed to the PIN entry device, for generating the third message from the first message and a user-entered PIN, for encrypting the third message according to an encryption key stored in the memory of the token and for transmitting the third message to the token.