Securely paired delivery of activation codes between removable and integrated security processors

1. A method comprising:

receiving an activation message at a receiver, the receiver having a first security processor that is removably installed in the receiver, a second security processor integrated in a trusted hardware environment of the receiver, and a plurality of hardware components, the second security processor controlling enabling of each of the plurality of hardware components, the activation message containing a hardware activation code for enabling a particular hardware component of the plurality of hardware components of the receiver, the activation message including the hardware activation code being encrypted in accordance with a global network key stored by the first security processor;

first decrypting the activation message including the hardware activation code by the first security processor in accordance with the global network key to obtain the hardware activation code;

consequent to the first decrypting of the hardware activation code in accordance with the global network key, encrypting the hardware activation code by the first security processor using a local key to generate an encrypted activation code, the local key unique to the receiver and stored at both the first security processor and the trusted hardware environment;

transmitting, by the first security processor, the encrypted activation code that is encrypted in accordance with the local key to the second security processor;

receiving, by the second security processor, the encrypted activation code that is encrypted in accordance with the local key;

second decrypting the encrypted activation code that is encrypted in accordance with the local key by the second security processor using the local key to obtain the hardware activation code; and

enabling the particular hardware component by the second security processor based on the hardware activation code.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the trusted hardware environment of the receiver further has a memory integrated therein, the memory coupled with the second security processor; and

the local key is stored by the trusted hardware environment by being stored in the memory.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

security checking, subsequent to the first decrypting, the activation message by the first security processor to determine whether a security check passed or the security check failed; and

wherein the encrypting and the transmitting are performed only responsive to determining that the security check passed.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the security checking comprises:

calculating, by the first security processor, a cryptographic hash of the activation message; and

determining, by the first security processor, whether the activation message was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was not tampered with based on the cryptographic hash.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the security checking comprises:

performing, by the first security processor, a signature check to determine whether the activation message was transmitted by a recognized provider based on a signature key,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was not transmitted by a recognized provider based on the signature key, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was transmitted by a recognized provider based on the signature key.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

discarding the activation message in response determining that the security check failed.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

security checking, subsequent to the second decrypting, the activation message by the second security processor to determine whether a security check passed or the security check failed; and

wherein the enabling is performed only responsive to determining that the security check passed.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the security checking comprises:

calculating, by the second security processor, a cryptographic hash of the hardware activation code; and

determining, by the second security processor, whether the hardware activation code was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was not tampered with based on the cryptographic hash.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the security checking comprises:

performing, by the second security processor, a signature check to determine whether the hardware activation code was transmitted by the first security processor based on a signature key,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was not transmitted by the first security processor based on the signature key, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was transmitted by the first security processor based on the signature key.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

disabling, by the second security processor, at least some of the plurality of hardware components in response to determining that the security check failed.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the receiving comprises receiving one or more activation messages at the receiver comprising a plurality of hardware activation codes, each of the plurality of hardware activation codes for enabling an associated hardware component of the plurality of hardware components of the receiver;

the first decrypting is to obtain the plurality of hardware activation codes;

the encrypting comprises encrypting the plurality of hardware activation codes by the first security processor using the local key to generate a plurality of encrypted activation codes;

the transmitting comprises transmitting the plurality of encrypted activation codes by the first security processor to the second security processor;

the receiving comprises receiving the plurality of encrypted activation codes by the second security processor;

the second decrypting is to obtain the plurality of hardware activation codes; and

the enabling comprises enabling each of the plurality of hardware components by the second security processor based on an associated hardware activation code of the plurality of hardware activation codes.

12. A receiver system comprising:

a plurality of hardware components;

a trusted hardware environment having a second security processor and a memory integrated therein; and

a hardware port to removably receive a first security processor, configured, when installed in the hardware port, to:

receive an activation message containing a hardware activation code for enabling a particular hardware component of the plurality of hardware components, the activation message including the hardware activation code being encrypted in accordance with a global network key stored by the first security processor;

first decrypt the activation message including the hardware activation code in accordance with the global network key to obtain the hardware activation code;

consequent to the first decrypting of the hardware activation code in accordance with the global network key, encrypt the hardware activation code using a local key to generate an encrypted activation code, the local key unique to the receiver system and stored at both the first security processor and the memory; and

transmit the encrypted activation code that is encrypted in accordance with the local key to the second security processor,

wherein, in response to receiving the encrypted activation code, the second security processor is configured to:

second decrypt the encrypted activation code that is encrypted in accordance with the local key using the local key to obtain the hardware activation code; and

enable the particular hardware component by the second security processor based on the hardware activation code.

13. The receiver system of claim 12 , wherein the first security processor is configured further to:

security check the activation message, subsequent to the first decrypting, to determine whether the security check passed or the security check failed; and

wherein the first security processor is configured to encrypt and transmit only responsive to determining that the security check passed.

14. The receiver system of claim 13 , wherein the first security processor is configured to security check by:

calculating a cryptographic hash of the activation message; and

determining whether the activation message was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was not tampered with based on the cryptographic hash.

15. The receiver system of claim 13 , wherein the first security processor is configured to security check by:

performing a signature check to determine whether the activation message was transmitted by a recognized provider based on a signature key,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was not transmitted by a recognized provider based on the signature key, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the activation message was transmitted by a recognized provider based on the signature key.

16. The receiver system of claim 13 , wherein the first security processor is configured further to:

discard the activation message in response determining that the security check failed.

17. The receiver system of claim 12 , wherein the second security processor is configured further to:

security check, subsequent to the second decrypting, the activation message to determine whether the security check passed or the security check failed; and

wherein the second security processor is configured to enable only responsive to determining that the security check passed.

18. The receiver system of claim 17 , wherein the second security processor is configured to security check by:

calculating a cryptographic hash of the hardware activation code; and

determining whether the hardware activation code was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was tampered with based on the cryptographic hash, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was not tampered with based on the cryptographic hash.

19. The receiver system of claim 17 , wherein the second security processor is configured to security check by:

performing a signature check to determine whether the hardware activation code was transmitted by the first security processor based on a signature key,

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was not transmitted by the first security processor based on the signature key, and

wherein it is determined that the security check failed in response to determining that the hardware activation code was transmitted by the first security processor based on the signature key.

20. The receiver system of claim 17 , wherein the second security processor is configured further to:

disable at least some of the plurality of hardware components in response to determining that the security check failed.