Security for embedded device

From: Joris Dobbelsteen (none.of_at_your.business)
Date: 06/27/04 

Date: Sun, 27 Jun 2004 22:28:43 +0200

I'm looking for some good starting point in designing a simple mechanism of
preventing a combination of hardware and software to be duplicated or used
very widely.
It must prevent hobbyist from putting their own equipment instead of using
mine, so its not very demanding in this aspect.

Basically it runs on:
* PC (or PocketPC) with Windows (CE)
* Embedded chip (Zilog eZ8 is planned, I love this thing :) ).
   This thing cannot store any data, which is a limitation.

The basic idea was that the computer needs a specific 'code' to unlock the
embedded device and that a unique key is generated to make the unlock not
replayable. With this a simple key is generated to encipher the data that
actually matters (signal output only).
The other way would be sending the chips serial number (or derived) to the
PC so it can do validation. Since I cannot store anything in the embedded
chip, it cannot be a neat mutual authentication scheme.
Perhaps anyone has a good point to a simple cipher for a 8-bit processor?
Any other good starting points would be highly appreciated!

Another issue is running the software on the PC, where it should be locked
to a single system. Does anyone have a good advice on getting a unique
number on a Windows system (preferably something that works under .NET). My
last idea was to use the CPUID on the Intels and AMDs or the Windows Product
ID if the CPUID isn't available.
Perhaps there is a better alternative or its out of scope here?

- Joris

Relevant Pages

  • Share oracle database in network
    ... Please help with setting up a oracle 9i server for windows 98 ... network. ... i like to know how we could setup a oralce in a single system in ... I have a LAN setup with 5 ...
    (comp.lang.basic.visual.misc)
  • Re: Simultaneous sessions ?
    ... Florence HENRY wrote: ... >>In that case 'day' is variable between windows and should be passed in ... but there is plenty of information that have to be ... as I suggested create some sort of unique key which will ...
    (comp.lang.php)
  • Re: PC networking through modems
    ... Possible it is - I am doing it routinely even on a single system, ... completely independent tcp/ip subsystems engaged in a ppp connection, ... Whether you can make the MS system behave like an ISP responding ... point when called I don't know (I am not familiar with windows etc. ...
    (comp.arch.fpga)
  • Re: Workaround on WMI
    ... Chasis Type, OSSerial,Drive Serial, and CPUID ... parameters returned on Windows 2000 Professional ... Chasis Type, OSSerial, and Drive Serial ... Any further workaround? ...
    (microsoft.public.vb.winapi)
  • identifying a user...
    ... Just a conceptual question, is there any way to uniquely identify a user ... other than there username i.e. does Windows create any form of unique key or ...
    (microsoft.public.platformsdk.security)