Control system and method thereof for secure manufacturing

A control system and method thereof for secure manufacturing, comprising a source end, a verification end, and a production end. Providing a source file, the source end encrypting and signing the source file to generate a transfer file and to generate an authorization information simultaneously, the transfer file being transferred to the production end, and the authorization information being transferred to the verification end. After the production end is authorized by the verification end, the transfer file is verified and decrypted, and can be re-encrypted or not re-encrypted to be written into a product or to generate a product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a control system and method thereof for secure manufacturing.

Related Art

Whether it is the research and development of smart devices, wearable devices, or devices of Internet of Things (IoT), it is always focusing on the development of software and firmwares for central processing units or microcontroller units. In the mass production process, these software and firmwares must be burned or processed at the factory, but these software and firmwares may leak out due to various factors including human factor, causing serious losses to product developers or manufacturers.

After the product is officially launched onto the market, if the product performs quite well, the competitors will want to learn or imitate, and they might try to steal the software and firmwares and important data in the chip by illegal cloning or reverse engineering. Once the software and firmwares in the chip got stolen or cracked, the product will quickly lose its competitive advantages, and even cause the customers' personal data being stolen or the system being invaded. With the advent of the IoT era, hackers can invade various Internet-connected products through the Internet, and therefore it is imperative to protect the software and firmwares in the chip from illegal copying or cracking by means of technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a control system and method thereof for secure manufacturing. A first encryption protection process is performed before a firmware is transferred to prevent the firmware from being stolen during the transfer process. In addition, a second encryption protection process can be performed when the firmware is burned to a chip, and the chip must be decrypted before it can be activated. The above description is based on the firmware as an example, but it is not limited to the firmware, the present invention can be applied to any electronic file to prevent the intellectual property from being illegally copied or illegally cracked.

The control system for secure manufacturing of the present invention is used for controlling products during manufacturing and transferring processes, an embodiment of which comprises: a source end, a verification end, and a production end. The source end comprises a first security module, an encryption module, and a secure transfer processing module. The first security module provides an encryption key to the encryption module, and a source file is added with the encryption key via the encryption module to generate an encrypted file. The first security module provides an encryption public key and a signature private key to the secure transfer processing module. The encrypted file is added with the encryption public key and the signature private key via the secure transfer processing module to generate a transfer file, and the source end generates an authorization information. The verification end comprises a security verification module, and the security verification module receives the authorization information. The production end comprises a second security module, a security processing module, and a manufacturing module, and the security processing module receives the transfer file. The second security module comprises a verification public key, a decryption private key, and a decryption key. The verification public key corresponds to the signature private key, the decryption private key corresponds to the encryption public key, and the decryption key corresponds to the encryption key. The transfer file is verified by the verification public key via the second security module. If the transfer file passes the verification, the second security module decrypts the transfer file with the decryption private key to become the encrypted file, and the decryption key decrypts the encrypted file.

An embodiment of the control method for secure manufacturing of the present invention comprising: providing a source file; encrypting the source file at a source end to generate a transfer file and to generate an authorization information; transferring the authorization information to a verification end, and transferring the transfer file to a production end; the verification end verifying the production end according to the authorization information; and if the production end passing the verification, the production end decrypting the transfer file.

In order to make the above objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and understandable, the embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 3, which are respectively an embodiment and another embodiment of a control system for secure manufacturing of the present invention for use in controlling a firmware and a burnable chip C during manufacturing and transferring processes. The control system for secure manufacturing of the present invention comprises a source end10, a verification end20, and a production end30.

A source file (source firmware) F1is provided. The source end10comprises an encryption module11, a first security module12, and a secure transfer processing module13. Wherein the first security module12comprises an encryption key, an encryption public key, and a signature private key. In order to prevent the source file F1from being stolen or copied and cracked during a transfer process (electronic or physical delivery), the source end10uses the encryption module11and performs an encryption process on the source file F1to generate an encrypted file F2. In this embodiment, the encryption module11uses the first security module12to encrypt the source file F1with the encryption key to generate the encrypted file F2. The encrypted file F2is then transferred to the secure transfer processing module13, and the secure transfer processing module13uses the first security module12to encrypt and sign the encrypted file F2and the encryption key (symmetric) with the encryption public key and the signature private key, and generates a transfer file F3. The secure transfer processing module13transfers the transfer file F3to the production end30and transfers an authorization information S to the verification end20simultaneously.

The verification end20comprises a security verification module21, and the security verification module21receives the authorization information S. In this embodiment, the authorization information S is related to whether the production end30is the designated production end of the source end10, and a quantity of the burnable chip C authorized for the production end30.

The production end30comprises a security processing module31, a manufacturing module32, and a second security module33. The manufacturing module32is connected to the security processing module31, and the second security module33is connected to the security processing module31. The security processing module31receives the transfer file F3of the source end10. After the security processing module31obtains the authorization information S from the security verification module21of the verification end20, a manufacturing quantity of a product is authorized.

The second security module33comprises a verification public key, a decryption private key, and a decryption key. When the transfer file F3is transferred to the security processing module31, after obtaining the authorization the security processing module31verifies with the verification public key of the second security module33and the signature private key of the transfer file F3, verifying whether the transfer file F3is from the correct source end10. After the transfer file F3is verified as being from the correct source end10, the security processing module31decrypts the verified transfer file F3with the decryption private key by using the second security module33, and the encrypted file F2and the encryption key are generated in the second security module33. The encryption key is symmetrical, that is, the decryption key. The security processing module31decrypts the encrypted file F2with the decryption key in the second security module33, and generates the source file F1, and finally a manufacturing file F4is generated according to the requirements of the manufacturing module32. The manufacturing module32adds the manufacturing file F4to a target product or generates a target product P according to the manufacturing file F4.

In this embodiment, the signature private key and the verification public key are generated from an asymmetric key pair of the first security module12, and the encryption public key and the decryption private key are generated from an asymmetric key pair of the second security module33. Therefore, after the verification public key is generated in the first security module12, the verification public key needs to be transferred to the second security module33of the production end30for verification of the transfer file F3at the production end30. Similarly, after the encryption public key is generated in the second public security module33, the encryption public key needs to be transferred to the first security module12of the source end10for encrypting the source file F1.

As shown inFIG. 3, in the actual application, the manufacturing module32can be a burning module, the source file F1can be a source firmware, the encrypted file F2can be an encrypted firmware, and the manufacturing file F4can be a burn file. The burn file comprises firmwares for burning to the chip C, and the chip C can be all chips containing firmwares or software, such as microcontroller (MCU), microprocessor (MPU), graphics processor (GPU), central processing unit (CPU), flash memory (Flash), embedded module, embedded system, wearable device or device of Internet of Things, etc., but the present invention is not limited thereto. The source file F1and the manufacturing file F4can also be design data of three-dimensional printing, the manufacturing module32can be a three-dimensional printing device, and the target product P can be a three-dimensional print product.

After the security processing module31completes a pre-manufacturing process, the security processing module31transfers the manufacturing file F4to the manufacturing module32, and the manufacturing module32adds the manufacturing file F4one by one to the target product or generates the target product according to an authorized quantity until the authorized quantity is reached. The security processing module31counts each time when the manufacturing module32adds the manufacturing file F4to the target product or generates the target product, calculates a quantity of the produced products, and transfers the statistical production quantity to the verification end20, and the verification end20verifies whether the produced quantity is the same as the authorized production quantity.

In this embodiment, the source end10can be a software and firmwares developer, the production end30can be a burning factory, the security processing module31and the second security module33can be a control center of a burning factory, the manufacturing module32can be a chip burning machine, and the verification end20can be a software developer or a third party's impartial supervisory unit.

In another embodiment of the control system for secure manufacturing of the present invention, in addition to the embodiment ofFIG. 1, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4, in addition to a first encryption performed by the encryption module11on the source firmware F1to prevent theft during the transferring process, in order to prevent the design of the product from being stolen during the burning process or the product from being reverse engineered after being shipped from the factory to obtain the design information, a second encryption can be performed on the manufacturing file F4before burning. A method of the second encryption is as follows: the manufacturing module32obtaining product features, such as a chip-specific identification code, and then the manufacturing module32transferring the product features to the security processing module31, after the security processing module31decrypting the transfer file F3by using the second security module33to generate the source firmware F1, the security processing module31using the second security module33again to generate a symmetric key with the product features as the key material for performing the second encryption on the source firmware F1, and finally generating a burn file F4′ according to the requirements of the manufacturing module32, and the manufacturing module32writing the burn file F4′ into the chip C.

For the chip C written with the second encrypted firmware, the second encryption and decryption method is designed according to the hardware characteristics of the chip C, and the product features are unique to the chip C, so the second encrypted firmware can only be correctly decrypted and operated in the chip C. In this way, even if the competitors or the hackers obtain the chip C, the source firmware cannot be illegally acquired, and the design of the product (software and firmwares) can be effectively prevented from being stolen or reverse engineered during the manufacturing process or after the sale, thereby reducing the risk of intrusion of the chip C and its associated systems.

In addition, after the manufacturing module32achieves a manufacturing stage, the security processing module31transfers a subsequent manufacturing request to the verification end20for verification. After the subsequent burning request of the security processing module31is authorized, the manufacturing module32performs the subsequent burning. The manufacturing stage can be the manufacturing module32performs writing of the product P each time. The burning stage can be the manufacturing module32completes writing of a predetermined quantity of products within a predetermined time, for example, a quantity of the product P being written is 600 pieces. After the manufacturing module32burns a batch of 60 pieces in one hour each time, the security processing module31can issue the subsequent burning request, and wait until the subsequent burning request is verified, and then proceed to the next batch of burning operation of the chips C. If the manufacturing module32and the verification end20cannot be connected during the burning process, the manufacturing module32can still continue to complete the burning of the verified batch of the chips C. During the period in which the manufacturing module32burns the chips C, the connection between the security processing module31and the verification end20is restored. In addition, when the security processing module31and the verification end20cannot be connected, it can be preset to allow the manufacturing module32to continue to burn a certain quantity of the chips C so as not to affect the production capacity of the burning operation. However, before the first burning operation, the security processing module31and the verification end20must remain connected before verification can be performed, otherwise the overall burning operation cannot be performed.

Referring toFIG. 5, when the source end10updates the source file F1, an updated file F5is generated, and the updated file F5is encrypted and signed in the manner shown inFIG. 1by using the encryption module11, the first security module12, and the secure transfer processing module13to generate an encrypted updated file F6and generate an update authorization information S′. The encrypted updated file F6is transferred to the security processing module31of the production end30, and the update authorization information S′ is transferred to the verification end20. The production end30can issue a firmware update notification to users of the chip C. If the users want to update the firmware, the users can submit an update request to the security processing module31via a network N, the security processing module31requests verification by the verification end20according to the update request, and the verification end20verifies the update request according to the update authorization information S′. After the update request of the security processing module31is verified, the encrypted updated file F6performs decryption by using the second security module33, and the security processing module31transfers the decrypted updated file F5to the chip C via the network N for updating.

Referring toFIG. 6, a control method for secure manufacturing of the present invention comprising the following steps:

in step S1, providing a source file F1, and then proceeding to step S2;

in step S2, using the encryption module11to perform an encryption process on the source file F1by using the first security module12with the encryption key to generate an encrypted file F2, and then proceeding to step S3;

in step S3, the secure transfer processing module13of the source end10using the first security module12to encrypt and sign the encrypted file F2and the encryption key (symmetric) with the encryption public key and the signature private key to generate a transfer file F3and to generate an authorization information S, and then proceeding to step S4;

in step S4, transferring the authorization information S to the verification end20, transferring the transfer file F3to the production end30, and then proceeding to step S5;

in step S5, the security processing module31of the production end30obtaining the authorization information S of the verification end20, if the authorization being passed, proceeding to step S6, if the authorization being not passed, reporting error, and then proceeding to step S7;

in step S6, the security processing module31using the second security module33to verify the signature private key of the transfer file F3with the verification public key, and verifying whether the transfer file F3being from the correct source end10, when the transfer file F3being verified from the correct source end10, proceeding to step S8, when the transfer file F3being verified not from the correct source end10, reporting error, and then proceeding to step S7;

in step S7, stopping the manufacturing process, at this time the production end30inquiring whether the transfer file F3transferred by the source end10being correct;

in step S8, the security processing module31decrypting the verified transfer file F3with the decryption private key by using the second security module33, generating the encrypted file F2and the encryption key in the second security module33, the encryption key being symmetrical, that being, the decryption key, then the security processing module31decrypting the encrypted file F2with the decryption key in the second security module33to generate the source file F1, and then proceeding to step S9;

in step S9, determining whether to perform a second encryption on the decrypted source file F1with the product features, if determining to perform the second encryption on the decrypted source file F1with the product features, proceeding to step S10, and if determining not to perform the second encryption on the decrypted source file F1with the product features, then proceeding to step S11;

in step S10, the manufacturing module33reading the product features, transferring the product features to the security processing module31, the security processing module31using the second security module33to perform the second encryption on the decrypted source file F1, and then proceeding to step S11;

in step S11, the security processing module31generating the manufacturing files F4, F4′, transferring the manufacturing files F4, F4′ to the manufacturing module32, and then proceeding to step S12;

in step S12, the manufacturing module32writing the manufacturing files F4, F4′ into the product, and then proceeding to step S13; and

in step S13, the security processing module31counting and comparing a quantity of products produced with a quantity authorized by the authorization information S, if the quantity of the product P produced being less than the authorized quantity, returning to the step S9, determining whether to perform the second encryption, if the quantity of the product P produced reaching the authorized quantity, then proceeding to the step S7to end the manufacturing process.

In this embodiment, before the transfer of the source file (source firmware) F1, the first encryption processing procedure is used to prevent the firmware from being used after being stolen during the transferring process; in addition, with the second encryption processing procedure, even if unlawful persons obtain the chip C installed with the firmware, the source firmware installed in the chip C or its original codes cannot be obtained by cloning or reverse engineering.

It is to be understood that the above description is only preferred embodiments of the present invention and is not used to limit the present invention, and changes in accordance with the concepts of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention, for example, the equivalent effects produced by various transformations, variations, modifications and applications made to the configurations or arrangements shall still fall within the scope covered by the appended claims of the present invention.