IP Library Granted Patent US 7,383,438
Granted Patent B2
US 7,383,438 · App. 11/017,559 · Granted Jun 3, 2008

System and method for secure conditional access download and reconfiguration

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,383,438
App. No.
11/017,559
Granted
Jun 3, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of securely downloading at least one of conditional access software (CAS), Digital Rights Management software (DRMS), Trusted Domain Software (TDS), and Gaming Security Software (GSS) includes presenting a specialized entitlement management message (EMM) to initiate the download to a receiver security device using a supervisory logon key (SLK) split to logon with a second split contained inside the receiver security device, presenting a receiver digitally signed random challenge from the receiver security device to a sender security server to establish authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server, and signing and returning the receiver random challenge from the sender security server to the receiver security device with a sender random challenge to establish authentication of the sender security server to the receiver security device.

Claims (37)

1. A method of securely downloading at least one of conditional access software (CAS), Digital Rights Management software (DRMS), Trusted Domain Software (TDS), and Gaming Security Software (GSS), the method comprising:

presenting a specialized entitlement management message (EMM) to initiate the download to a receiver security device using a supervisory logon key (SLK) split to logon with a second split contained inside the receiver security device;

presenting a receiver digitally signed random challenge from the receiver security device to a sender security server to establish authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server; and

signing and returning the receiver random challenge from the sender security server to the receiver security device with a sender random challenge to establish authentication of the sender security server to the receiver security device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising signing and returning the sender random challenge from the receiver security device to the sender security server to complete authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising sending a session download key from the sender security server in a signed and encrypted CAS receive download message.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising sending signed information from the sender security server to the receiver security device that provides at least one of PID information, carousel information, and URL information that indicates where the respective encrypted CAS download is located and available on the sender security server.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising decrypting a CAS image, and verifying the CAS image using a respective session key in the receiver security device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending a signed acknowledgment message to the sender security server when the CAS download is complete.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising updating the SLK split in one mode of operation, and updating the SLK split and sending the updated SLK split to the sender security server when a rolling key feature is enabled in another mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising verifying the signed acknowledgment message in one mode of operation, and verifying the signed acknowledgment message and storing the updated SLK split for use in a next CAS download using the sender security server in another mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising logging the receiver security device out of a supervisor mode and returning to a user mode.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the CAS download does not occur unless the signed acknowledgment message is verified, the head-end SLK successfully logs into a supervisor mode of operation, and the decryption of the CAS image is successful.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a following download of CAS software operation is not performed unless a new SLK is presented to unlock access to the following download operation only when the receiver security device is in the supervisory mode of operation.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the CAS image is encrypted and decrypted using a CAS image session key in the receiver security device.

13. A system for securely downloading at least one of conditional access software (CAS), Digital Rights Management software (DRMS), Trusted Domain Software (TDS), and Gaming Security Software (GSS), the system comprising:

a headend having a sender security server; and

a receiver coupled to the headend, and having a receiver security device, wherein

the sender security server presents a specialized entitlement management message (EMM) to initiate the download to the receiver security device using a supervisory logon key (SLK) split to logon with a second split contained inside the receiver security device;

the receiver security device presents a receiver digitally signed random challenge to the sender security server to establish authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server; and

the sender security server signs and returns the receiver random challenge to the receiver security device with a sender random challenge to establish authentication of the sender security server to the receiver security device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the receiver security device signs and returns the sender random challenge to the sender security server to complete authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the sender security server sends a session download key in a signed and encrypted CAS receive download message.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the sender security server sends signed information to the receiver security device that provides at least one of PID information, carousel information, and URL information that indicates where the respective CAS download is located and available on the sender security server.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the receiver security device decrypts a CAS image, and verifies the CAS image using a respective session key.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the receiver security device sends a signed acknowledgment message to the sender security server when the CAS download is complete.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the receiver security device updates the SLK split in one mode of operation, and updates the SLK split and sends the updated SLK split to the sender security server when a rolling key feature is enabled in another mode of operation.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the sender security server verifies the signed acknowledgment message in one mode of operation, and verifies the signed acknowledgment message and stores the updated SLK split for use in a next CAS download in another mode of operation.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the receiver security device logs out of a supervisor mode and returns to a user mode, and thereby, disables access to downloading at least one of conditional access software (CAS), Digital Rights Management software (DRMS), Trusted Domain Software (TDS), and Gaming Security Software (GSS).

22. The system of claim 13 wherein the receiver security device is coupled to the headend using a network.

23. A receiver security device for securely downloading at least one of conditional access software (CAS), Digital Rights Management software (DRMS), Trusted Domain Software (TDS), and Gaming Security Software (GSS), the device comprising:

a microprocessor;

a transport chip coupled to the microprocessor; and

a memory coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the memory includes programming to perform the steps of:

receiving a specialized entitlement management message (EMM) to initiate the download at the receiver security device using a supervisory logon key (SLK) split to logon with a second split contained inside the receiver security device from a sender security server via the transport chip;

presenting a receiver digitally signed random challenge from the receiver security device to the sender security server to establish authentication of the receiver security device to the sender security server; and

receiving the signed receiver random challenge and a sender random challenge from the sender security server to establish authentication of the sender security server to the receiver security device.

Assignments (2)
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 7, 2015
From: COMCAST CABLE HOLDINGS, LLC; COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
To: COMCAST CABLE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 037229/0550 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2004
From: FAHRNY, JAMES WILLIAM; WILSON, MARK WILLIAM
To: COMCAST CABLE HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 016115/0026 →