Granted Patent B2

US 8,495,389 · App. 11/640,485 · Granted Jul 23, 2013

Abstract

Claims (70)

1. A method for preventing unauthorized use of a software program on a computing device comprising:

updating data indicative of a first state of a software program on a computing device as software first state data;

determining the state of the software program based on persistence data;

transmitting by the computing device an update signal to a hardware token coupled to the computing device;

receiving the update signal, updating by the hardware token data stored on the hardware token indicative of a state of the hardware token as hardware token state data in response to the received update signal, the hardware token state data including data from a counter,

wherein in normal operation the hardware token does not allow the hardware token state data stored thereon to be derived or revealed outside of the hardware token; performing a first cryptographic check by the hardware token using the software first state data and the hardware token state data;

storing the first cryptographic check on one of the computing device and the hardware token;

performing a second cryptographic check by the hardware token using the hardware token state data and data indicative of a current state of the software program;

retrieving from the one of the computing device and the hardware token the cryptographic check most recently stored thereon, and

comparing the second cryptographic check to the retrieved cryptographic check; and

preventing the software program from running on the computing device if the retrieved cryptographic check does not match the second cryptographic check.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the retrieved cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check is done using one of the hardware token and the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the first retrieved cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check uses a hash function.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein comparing the retrieved cryptographic check to the second cryptograph check uses a cryptographic algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistence data include an expiration date.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistence data include data from a counter.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the persistence data include data from a timer.

8. A method for preventing unauthorized use of a software program on a computing device comprising:

performing a first cryptographic check based on data indicative of a first state of the software program as software first state data, and data indicative of a state of a hardware token as hardware token state data using one of the hardware token and the computing device, the hardware token state data including data from a counter;

storing the first cryptographic check on one of the hardware token and the computing device; performing a second cryptographic check based on the hardware token state data and data indicative of a current state of the software program using one of the hardware token and the computing device;

determining the state of the software program based on persistence data;

retrieving a the most recently stored cryptographic check from the hardware token or the computing device on which the first cryptographic check was stored;

comparing the retrieved cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check using one of the hardware token and the computing device; and

preventing the software program from running on the computing device if the retrieved cryptographic check does not match the second cryptographic check.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the first cryptographic check uses a hash function.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the first cryptographic check uses a cryptographic algorithm.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein performing the first cryptographic check is based on a function stored on the hardware token.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein comparing the first cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check uses a hash function.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the persistence data include an expiration date.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the persistence data include data from a counter.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the persistence data include data from a timer.

16. A system for preventing unauthorized use of a software program on a computing device, the system comprising:

a hardware token coupleable to the computing device and which, when coupled to the computing device, is operable to:

store data indicative of a state of the hardware token as hardware token state data, the hardware token state data including data from a counter,

receive an update signal from the computing device, and update the stored hardware token state data responsive to the received update signal,

perform a first cryptographic check using the stored hardware token state data and data received from the computing device indicative of a first state of the software program as software first state data,

transmit the first cryptographic check to the computing device coupled to the hardware token; and

receive a verification signal from the computing device, and perform a second cryptographic check using the stored hardware token state data and data received from the computing device indicative of a current state of the software program as software current state data; and

transmit the second cryptographic check to the computing device coupled to the hardware token; and

the computing device, which, when coupled to the hardware token is operable to:

determine the state of the software program based on persistence data;

execute a software program configured to:

have a state on which data indicative of the state of the software program is based,

update the software program state data in response to a predetermined event and transmit the update signal to the hardware token,

receive a result of a comparison of the first cryptographic check and a second cryptographic check, and

cease execution if the result is that the first cryptographic check does not match the second cryptographic check;

receive and store the first cryptographic check; receive the second cryptographic check;

retrieve the stored first cryptographic check and perform a comparison of the first cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check; and

transmit the result of the comparison to the software program.

17. A hardware token coupleable to a computing device having a software program thereon and which, when coupled to the computing device, is operable to:

a memory stores instructions executed by a processor;

store data indicative of a state of the hardware token as hardware token state data, the hardware token state data including data from a counter,

receive an update signal from the computing device, and update the stored hardware token state data responsive to the received update signal;

perform a first cryptographic check using the stored hardware token state data and data received from the computing device indicative of a first state of the software program as software first state data, transmit the first cryptographic check to the computing device coupled to the hardware token; and

receive a verification signal from the computing device, and perform a second cryptographic check using the stored hardware token state data and data received from the computing device indicative of a current state of the software program as software current state data;

determine the state of the software program based on persistence data; and

transmit the second cryptographic check to the computing device.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions which cause a computing device to:

execute a software program configured to:

have a state on which data indicative of the state of the software program as software program state data is based,

determine the state of the software program based on persistence data;

update the software program state data in response to a predetermined event, and

transmit an update signal to a hardware token, receive a result of a comparison of a first cryptographic check and a second cryptographic check, and

cease execution if the result is that the first cryptographic check does not match the second cryptographic check;

receive data indicative of a state of the hardware token as hardware token state data, the hardware token state data including data from a counter;

obtain data indicative of a current state of the software program;

receive the first cryptographic check;

compute a second cryptographic check based on the current software program state data and the hardware token state data;

perform a comparison of the first cryptographic check to the second cryptographic check; and

transmit a result of the comparison to the software program.

Assignments (6)