WO2002005071A2

WO2002005071A2 - Computer device for decrypting encrypted data

Info

Publication number: WO2002005071A2
Application number: PCT/FR2001/002209
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luc Deborgies
Original assignee: XIRING, Société Anonyme
Priority date: 2000-07-07
Filing date: 2001-07-09
Publication date: 2002-01-17
Also published as: AU2001276421A1; FR2811444A1; FR2811444B3; WO2002005071A3

Abstract

The invention concerns a computer device (1) comprising a central unit (2) and peripherals, such as at least a display (3), at least a keyboard (4), connected via at least an interface (6, 6') to said central unit (2) whereat are recorded and processed, in particular via at least a software, data to be displayed at said display (3). Said computer device (1) is characterised in that part at least of the data in said central unit (2) are in encrypted form and the device (1) is completed by means (9) capable of decrypting part at least of said encrypted data, said decrypting means (9) being associated with at least one of said interfaces (6, 6').

Description

COMPUTER DEVICE FOR DECRYPTING ENCRYPTED INFORMATION.

The present invention relates to a computing device comprising a central unit as well as peripherals, such as at least one screen, at least one keyboard, connected via at least one interface to said central unit at which level are recorded. and processed, in particular by means of at least one software, information intended to be displayed on said screen.

The present invention relates to the field of protection of data contained in a computer device and finds, more particularly, an application when it comes to securing access to confidential information.

Data processing devices corresponding to the above description are already known and comprising a central unit at the level of which information is recorded and processed. It will be noted that access to this information can be protected, in particular by recording it in encrypted form at the level of said central unit. It also appears, at this central unit, the keys authorizing the decryption of this information, the activation of these keys being subject to authorization, in particular through the introduction of an access code or the like.

These decryption keys thus appear at the level of said central unit and are liable to be fraudulently activated by anyone having access to this central unit.

In addition, when these decryption keys are activated, the entire file containing the protected information is decrypted and a file or the like is created, at least temporarily and at the level of the central processing unit, at least in part, the information in decrypted form and capable of being viewed.

It is then possible for an individual having access to said central unit to fraudulently consult this decrypted information.

The present invention seeks to remedy the drawbacks of the devices of the prior art through a new computer device intended to secure access to information.

To this end, the present invention relates to a computer device comprising a central unit as well as peripherals, such as at least one screen, at least one keyboard, connected via at least one interface to said central unit at the level from which are recorded and processed, in particular by means of at least one piece of software, information intended to be displayed on said screen, characterized in that at least part of the information appearing on said central unit is are in encrypted form and that the device is completed by means capable of decrypting at least part of this encrypted information, such means being associated with at least one of said interfaces.

According to another characteristic, the interface, with which the decryption means are associated, is connected to at least one of said peripherals.

An additional characteristic relates to the fact that said interface is connected to said display screen, or even to said keyboard.

Another characteristic is that the interface, with which the decryption means are associated, is defined by at least one support receiving electronic components, in particular an electronic card or the like.

An additional characteristic relates to the fact that the support receiving the electronic components is defined by a video card or by a support of which at least a part of the electronic components is designed capable of accomplishing the functions of a video card.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the decryption means are in the form of a device of the peripheral type, on the one hand, connected by means of connection means to at least one of said interfaces and, on the other hand, intended to receive removable type storage means for recording at least one decryption key.

Another characteristic consists in that the storage means of the removable type are defined by a removable support with which is associated at least one component of the electronic type for recording at least one decryption key.

An additional feature relates to the fact that the removable storage means are defined by a smart card.

According to another characteristic, said device of the peripheral type comprises means intended to read at least one decryption key that the removable storage means comprise.

In fact, this peripheral type device is defined by a smart card reader. The advantages of the present invention consist in that the information to which access must be secured is found only in encrypted form at the level of the central unit. The latter does not include any key capable of allowing decryption of said information, such keys being only contained at the level of said smart card.

In addition, the decryption is carried out remotely relative to said central unit so that the decrypted information does not appear at any time at this central unit which also keeps no trace of this decrypted information.

According to another advantage, it is possible to decrypt, at a given instant, only the information intended to be displayed at this instant on the screen.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the following description relating to the attached drawing in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view in partial section of the computer device according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a block diagram corresponding to a computer device according to a preferred embodiment of one invention;

- Figure 3 is a block diagram corresponding to another embodiment.

The present invention relates to the field of protection of data contained in a computer device and finds, more particularly, an application when it comes to securing access to confidential or sensitive information. If, in the following description, reference will be made, more particularly, to a computer device adopting the form of a microcomputer or the like, the present invention is in no way limited thereto knowing that the latter may also , register within the framework of a more complex computer system, in particular of the network type or the like.

In a manner known per se, such a computer device 1 comprises a central unit 2 at the level of which information is recorded and processed (in particular by means of at least software or the like), which usually takes the form digital data.

In this regard, it will be observed that at least part of this information appears, at the level of this central processing unit 2, in an encrypted form. Other information can also be recorded at the level of said central processing unit 2, this in a decrypted or even originally legible form (without any encryption-decryption).

Such a computing device 1 also comprises a certain number of peripherals constituted, in particular and in a nonlimiting manner, by at least one display screen 3, at least one keyboard 4, at least one mouse, at least one printer, at least a scanner or others ...

It is, more particularly, at the level of such a screen 3 that at least part of the information recorded and processed at the level of said central unit 2 is intended to be displayed.

Such a device 3, 4 is connected via connection means 5 (in particular of the wired type) to at least one interface 6, 6 ', the latter 6, 6' being itself connected and / or associated with said central unit 2. In this regard, it should be noted that such an interface 6, 6 'can be dedicated to the device 3, 4 to which it 6, 6' is connected. Thus and as visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, the interface 6, connected to said screen 3, can be defined by a video card 7 or the like.

However, according to another embodiment, such an interface 6 can be of a more complex design and be capable of integrating a plurality of functionalities, in particular those accomplished by a video card and / or by said central unit 2 ...

According to a particular embodiment visible in Figures 1 to 3, these interfaces 6, 6 'and said central unit 2 are arranged inside a housing 8 or the like.

According to the invention, the computing device 1 comprises means 9 capable of ensuring the decryption of at least part of the encrypted information appearing at the level of said central unit 2, this with a view to the visualization, in an intelligible manner, of these data. ormations, in a decrypted form, at said viewing screen 3.

Such decryption means 9 are, in fact, associated with at least one of said interfaces 6, 6 ', such an interface 6, 6' being able to be defined by at least one support receiving electronic components. Such a support may, in particular, be constituted by an electronic card 10, 10 'or the like.

In this regard, it should be observed that such an interface 6, 6 ′, associated with the decryption means 9, can be connected to at least one peripheral 3, 4 as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.

Thus and according to a preferred embodiment visible in FIGS. 1 and 2, the interface 6, with which these decryption means 9 are associated, is connected to said display screen 3. In such a case, said interface 6 is defined by at least one support receiving electronic components. This support can be constituted by a video card 7, in particular in the form of an electronic card 10 or the like. Such a video card 7 can be connected to said central unit 2.

However and according to another embodiment, the support, defining said interface 6, comprises electronic components, at least part of which is designed capable of accomplishing the functionalities of a video card. Such a support can, for example, be defined by an electronic card 10, in particular a motherboard or the like. In addition and according to a particular embodiment, at least said central unit 2 can also be installed at the level of such a support.

In this regard, it should be noted that such a support can be of specific design in order to allow its connection to said decryption means 9.

Such an embodiment makes it possible to ensure the decryption of information recorded only in encrypted form at the level of the central unit 2, such decryption operating remotely relative to said central unit 2 and between the latter 2 and said screen 3.

However and according to another embodiment visible in FIG. 3, such an interface 6, associated with the decryption means 9, can be connected to several peripherals, in particular to said display screen 3 and to said keyboard 4 ...

Again, such an interface 6 can be defined by at least one support receiving electronic components, in particular an electronic card 10 or the like. Such a support may have similar or identical characteristics to those mentioned above. Thus, such a support can be defined by a video card 7 or by a support of which at least a part of the electronic components is designed capable of accomplishing the functionalities of such a video card.

In this regard, it will be observed that such a support (for example an electronic card, in particular a video card) can, here again, be of specific design (in particular to allow connection to a plurality of peripherals 3, 4 as well as to the decryption means 9) and come, for example, to replace a video card of traditional design.

Another embodiment, not shown, consists in associating these decryption means 9 with several of these interfaces 6, 6 ′, each of which is connected to a peripheral of the aforementioned type 3, 4 ...

The embodiments, consisting in associating said decryption means 9 with several peripherals, authorize, on the one hand, the decryption, remotely relative to said central unit 2, of information recorded only in encrypted form at the level of this central unit 2 and, on the other hand, intervention on such information in particular by means of said keyboard 4 or the like.

In this regard, it should be observed that such an intervention, on the one hand, is displayed in an intelligible manner at the level of said screen 3 and, on the other hand, is carried out only in an encrypted manner at the level of said central unit. 2. Such an embodiment also authorizes a recording, only in an encrypted manner, of the modified information and / or of the modifications made to this information, this at the level of said central unit 2. Another characteristic of the invention consists in that the interface or interfaces 6, 6 ′ connected to the decryption means 9 are preferably arranged inside said housing 8 also receiving said central unit 2 (FIGS. 1 to 3) .

However and according to a particular embodiment (not shown), this or these interfaces 6, 6 ′ can be arranged in an annex box connected, on the one hand, to said box 8 receiving said central unit 2, on the other hand, to said decryption means 9 and, on the other hand, to said peripherals.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the decryption means 9 are in the form of an apparatus 11 which, like said screen 3 and said keyboard 4, is of the peripheral type.

This device 11 is connected to at least one of said interfaces 6, 6 'by means of connection means 12, preferably of the wired type.

Said apparatus 11 is intended to receive storage means 13 of removable type at the level of which at least one key is recorded intended to allow the decryption of at least one item of information recorded, in an encrypted manner, at the level of said central unit 2.

In this regard, it will be noted that these storage means 13 may include a plurality of decryption keys, each making it possible to decrypt at least one encrypted item of information. Such an embodiment makes it possible, for example at the level of a server or of a central unit 2 to which different people can have access, to regulate access to determined encrypted information. This also makes it possible to envisage different levels of authorization for access to the encrypted information recorded at the level of said unit. central 2. This allows, for example, the authorization of viewing and / or intervention on a specific part of at least one encrypted item of information.

It will be observed that these storage means 13 are intended to be introduced inside said device 11, more particularly, when it is a question of viewing encrypted information or of intervening on the latter. These storage means 13 are designed capable of being removed from said device 11, in particular after such viewing or intervention.

In fact, such storage means 13 of removable type are defined by a removable support 14 with which is associated at least one component of electronic type 15 at the level of which at least one decryption key is recorded.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, these removable storage means 13 are defined by a smart card 16.

It will be observed that said device 11 of peripheral type comprises means intended to read at least one decryption key that comprises said removable storage means 13, more particularly at the level of at least one component of electronic type 15, in particular a chip.

In fact and according to a preferred embodiment, such a device of the peripheral type 11 is defined by a smart card reader 17.

Claims

1) IT device (1) comprising a central unit (2) as well as peripherals, such as at least one screen (3), at least one keyboard (4), connected via at least one interface ( 6, 6 ') to said central unit (2) at the level of which information intended to be displayed at said screen (3) is recorded and processed, in particular by means of at least one software, characterized by the causes at least part of the information appearing at said central unit (2) to be in encrypted form and the device (1) is completed by means (9) capable of decrypting a part at less of this encrypted information, such decryption means (9) being associated with at least one of said interfaces (6, 6 ').

2) Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the interface (6, 6 '), to which the decryption means (9) are associated, is connected to at least one of said peripherals (3 , 4).

3) Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said interface (6, 6 '), to which the decryption means (9) are associated, is connected to said display screen (3), or even to said keyboard (4).

4) Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interface (6, 6 '), with which the decryption means (9) are associated, is defined by at least one receiving support electronic components, in particular an electronic card (10, 10 ') or the like.

5) Device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the support receiving the electronic components is defined by a video card (7) or by a support of which at least a part of the electronic components is designed capable of accomplishing the functionalities of a video card.

6) Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decryption means (9) are in the form of a device (11) of peripheral type, on the one hand, connected by by means of connection means (12) to at least one of said interfaces (6, 6 ′) and, on the other hand, intended to receive storage means (13) of removable type for recording at least one decryption key.

7) Device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the removable type storage means (13) are defined by a removable support (14) which is associated with at least one electronic type component (15) for the registration of at least one decryption key.

8) Device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the removable storage means (13) are defined by a smart card (16).

9) Device (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that said device of the peripheral type (11) comprises means intended to read at least one decryption key that comprise the removable storage means ( 13).

10) Device (1) according to claims 8 and 9, characterized in that the device of the peripheral type (11) is defined by a smart card reader (16).