Protecting against counterfeit electronic devices
View Patent ↗An embodiment of the invention includes a method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device. The method includes transmitting a first data string from the first device to the second device and receiving a second data string at the first device from the second device. The method also includes generating a third data string using an alteration key at the first device and comparing the third data string and either the first data string or the second data string. The method further includes authenticating the second device if the compared data strings match.
1. A method of authenticating a second device connected to a first device, the method comprising:
transmitting a first data string from the first device to the second device, the first device including a first encryption key provided to the first device at manufacture of the first device and the second device including a second encryption key provided to the second device at manufacture of the second device, wherein one of the first device and the second device is a first host device and the other one of the first device and the second device is a first optical transceiver having a first edge connector through which the first optical transceiver transmits data to the first host device and through which the first optical transceiver receives data from the first host device;
generating, at the second device, a second data string by applying the second encryption key to the first data string such that the second data string is a first encrypted copy of the first data string;
transmitting the second data string from the second device to the first device;
receiving the second data string at the first device from the second device;
generating, at the first device, a third data string by applying the first encryption key to the first data string such that the third data string is a second encrypted copy of the first data string;
comparing, at the first device, the third data string and the second data string;
authenticating the second device as an authentic device from a reliable manufacturer when the third data string and the second data string match; and
withholding power from the first optical transceiver by the first host device not transmitting power to the first optical transceiver through the first edge connector to prevent the first optical transceiver from functioning while maintaining power to the first host device when the second device is not authenticated.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first data string includes a random data string or a pseudo-random data string.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating the first data string at the first device.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second encryption key is programmed into the second device.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein authenticating the second device as an authentic device ensures the second device is compatible with the first device.
6. A method of authenticating an optical transceiver locally connected to a host device, the method comprising:
receiving a first data string at the host device, the host device including an encryption key provided to the host device at manufacture of the host device; generating, at the host device, a second data string by applying the encryption key to the first data string key such that the second data string is a first encrypted copy of the first data string, wherein the optical transceiver includes an edge connector through which the optical transceiver transmits data to the host device and through which the optical transceiver receives data from the host device;
transmitting the second data string from the host device to the optical transceiver, the optical transceiver including a decryption key provided to the optical transceiver at manufacture of the optical transceiver;
receiving the second data string at the optical transceiver from the host device; generating, at the optical transceiver, a third data string by applying the decryption key to the second data string such that the third data string is a decrypted copy of the second data string;
transmitting the third data string from the optical transceiver to the host device;
receiving the third data string at the host device from the optical transceiver;
comparing, at the host device, the first data string and the third data string; and
authenticating the optical transceiver as an authentic device from a reliable manufacturer when the first data string and the third data string match; and
withholding power from the first optical transceiver by the first host device not transmitting power to the first optical transceiver through the first edge connector to prevent the first optical transceiver from functioning while maintaining power to the first host device when the second device is not authenticated.
7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first data string includes a random data string or a pseudo-random data string.
8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the decryption key is programmed into a processor, PLD, ASIC, or FPGA.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the processor, PLD, ASIC, or FPGA is read protected.
10. The method according to claim 6 , wherein authenticating the optical transceiver as an authentic device ensures the optical transceiver is compatible with the host device.