Patent ID: 8732812

Claim:
A method for operating an equipment item on-board an aircraft, the on-board equipment item being provided with micro software configured to be executed during power-up of the on-board equipment item in order to achieve secure processing by use of sensitive security data of public-key-infrastructure (PKI) encryption parameter type for checking digital signature, the secure processing including checking a digital signature of operating data from an external loading server using the sensitive security data of PKI encryption parameter type and secure loading the operating data from the external loading server through a communication network, in case of positive signature check, the method comprising: connecting an external secure module separate from the external loading server, the external secure module including the sensitive security data of PKI encryption parameter type necessary for the secure processing to the on-board equipment item, the on-board equipment item including a certified hardware component that has the micro software integrated with the certified hardware component; and authenticating the external secure module by the micro software in such a way as to furnish the sensitive security data of PKI encryption parameter type, once the sensitive security data of PKI encryption parameter type has been furnished to the micro software, for the secure processing to check the digital signature of the operating data using the sensitive security data of PKI encryption parameter type and to load the operating data from the external loading server in case of positive signature check.