TWI605358B - Communication hub and method for verifying message among applications thereof - Google Patents

Description

Message verification method between communication hub and its application

The present invention relates to a message verification mechanism, and more particularly to a method for verifying a message between a communication hub and its application.

In general, the data in each application in the operating system is not allowed to be accessed by other applications. This is to prevent private or confidential data from being accessed by other applications, so other applications cannot directly access the data via shared memory. In order to enable different applications to access resources and coordinate work with each other, Inter-Process Communication (IPC) technology is used to transmit data or signals. However, any malware can masquerade as a valid application and use IPC to transmit messages to gain user privacy.

The invention provides a communication verification method between a communication hub and an application thereof, and uses each application's key to verify the message transmission between each application to prevent illegal access by malicious programs.

The method for verifying the information between the applications of the present invention is used for a communication hub, wherein the first application and the second application are installed in the communication hub, and the message verification method includes: executing the first application through the boot process during the boot process The program and the second application respectively generate the first key and the second key, and transmit the first key and the second key to the first application and transmit the first key and the second key to the second application So that the first application and the second application carry the corresponding key when transmitting the message; when the operating system is in normal operation, when the first application receives the message from the second application, according to the message The entrained key verifies that the message is valid; when the decision message is valid, the first application sends a response message according to the message; and when the message is invalid, the message is ignored or discarded.

The communication hub of the present invention includes: a storage unit that stores a first application and a second application, wherein the applications respectively correspond to a plurality of devices, wherein the first application and the second application respectively correspond to the first The device and the second device; and the processor are coupled to the storage unit; wherein, during the booting process, the processor executes the booting program to generate the first key and the second key respectively for the first application and the second application And transmitting the first key and the second key to the first application and transmitting the first key and the second key to the second application, so that the first application and the second application are carried in the message transmission Corresponding key; when the processor executes the operating system, when the first application receives the message from the second application, the first application verifies whether the message is valid according to the key entrained in the message; When the determination message is valid, the first application returns a response message to the second application according to the message; and when the determination message is invalid, the first application Type ignore or discard the message.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication hub further includes: a local communication unit coupled to the processor and connected to the first device and the second device, wherein the first application and the second application are locally The communication unit obtains the respective materials of the first device and the second device.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the communication hub further includes: a remote communication unit coupled to the processor and connected to the server, wherein the first application and the second application pass through the remote communication unit, The obtained data of the first device and the second device are transmitted to the server.

In an embodiment of the present invention, during the booting process, the processor transfers the first key and the second key to the first application and transmits the first key and the second key to the second application, and then stores The first key and the second key are respectively connected to the storage space corresponding to the first application and the second application, so that the first application and the second application respectively have the first key and the second key.

In an embodiment of the invention, the header of the message includes a field for recording the source key. In the case of executing the operating system, when the first application receives the message from the second application, the first application determines whether the source key contained in the message is the second key; if the message is entrained The source key is different from the second key, and the first application determines that the message is invalid; if the source key contained in the message is the same as the second key, the first application determines that the message is valid.

In an embodiment of the invention, the header of the message includes a field for recording the destination key. In the case of executing the operating system, when the first application receives the message from the second application, the first application determines whether the destination key contained in the message is the first key; If the entitlement key is the same as the first key, the first application determines that the message is valid; if the destination key entrained in the message is different from the first key, the first application determines that the message is invalid.

In an embodiment of the invention, the header of the message includes a field for recording the source key and a field for recording the destination key. In the case of executing the operating system, when the first application receives the message from the second application, the first application determines whether the destination key and the source key contained in the message are the first key respectively. And the second key; if the destination key and the source key carried in the message are the first key and the second key respectively, the determination message is valid; and if the destination key is included in the message Different from the first key, or the source key is different from the second key, the message is determined to be invalid.

In an embodiment of the invention, the first key and the second key are respectively a first random number and a second random number.

In an embodiment of the invention, the format of the message is an Inter-Process Communication (IPC) format.

Based on the above, the present invention gives a key corresponding to each application during the boot process, and uses these keys to verify the message transfer between each application to prevent illegal access by malicious programs.

The above described features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

1 is a block diagram of a communication hub in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the communication hub 100 includes a processor 110 , a storage unit 120 , a memory 130 , a remote communication unit 140 , and a local communication unit 150 . The processor 110 is coupled to the storage unit 120, the memory 130, the remote communication unit 140, and the local communication unit 150.

The processor 110 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), an image processing unit (GPU), a physical processing unit (PPU), a programmable microprocessor (Microprocessor), Embedded control chip, Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC) or other similar devices. The processor 110 is configured to execute hardware, firmware, and processing software in the communication hub 100.

The storage unit 120 is, for example, a read only memory (ROM) or a flash memory. The storage unit 120 stores a boot firmware, a plurality of applications, a random number generation module, an operating system, and the like. The boot firmware is, for example, a Basic Input Output System (BIOS).

The memory 130 is, for example, a random access memory (RAM). Here, the drivers and operating systems of all components in the communication hub 100 are first loaded into the memory 130 for reading by the processor 110. For example, the boot firmware is loaded into the memory 130 by means of a memory RAM for access by the processor 110.

The remote communication unit 140 and the local communication unit 150 are hardware supporting a wired transmission protocol or a wireless transmission protocol, so that the communication hub 100 can be connected to a remote device or an external device. The remote communication unit 140 is, for example, a 3G/4G (third generation / fourth generation) communication unit, and the local communication unit 150 is, for example, an Ethernet, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or Wi-Fi communication unit. In an embodiment, the local communication unit 150 is coupled to at least one device externally. The application or part of the application in the storage unit 120 obtains the data of the device through the local communication unit 150. In another embodiment, each device has a corresponding application, and the communication hub 100 utilizes each application to communicate with each device. The device is, for example, an electronic electricity meter, an electronic water meter, an electronic gas meter, and other electronic household equipment; in particular, the information communicated by the device with the communication hub 100 may be confidential information, and thus the information between the applications of the present invention is utilized. The verification method can achieve the purpose of protecting confidential information.

The remote communication unit 140 is connected to the server. Each application in the storage unit 120 transmits the obtained data of each device to the server through the remote communication unit 140.

In other embodiments, the random number generation module may also be implemented by hardware and coupled to the processor 110. The random number generator is not limited to software or hardware.

2 is a flow chart of a method for verifying messages between applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Here, it is not necessary to use all of the following applications in the communication hub 100 to determine which applications need to use the following message verification method. For example, you can target an application that handles confidential or private messages.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 simultaneously, in step S205, during the booting process, the processor 110 executes a booting program and generates a first key and a second key respectively for the first application and the second application, and transmits the first key and the second key respectively. Transmitting the first key and the second key to the first application and transmitting the first key and the second key to the second application, so that the first application and the second application carry the corresponding gold when transmitting the message key. During the booting process, the booting program first initializes the first application and the second application, and then generates the first random number as the first key of the first application through the random number generating module, and generates the second random number as the first The second key of the second application.

In this embodiment, two applications (a first application and a second application) are taken as an example. The first application corresponds to the first device, and the second application corresponds to the second device. However, the number of applications is not limited in other embodiments.

For example, in other embodiments, during the boot process, the boot program initializes all applications first, and then generates a random number as a key through the random number generation module. The bootloader then passes the keys to each application. When the application receives these keys, they are stored in the storage space to which the application is assigned. The keys assigned to each application can be different, or it is possible that the keys assigned by the two applications are the same.

For example, as shown in Table 1, if the storage unit 120 includes the applications A to C, the boot program generates the random number RNA to the application A by the random number generator after initializing the applications A to C, and generates a random number RNB. For application B, a random RNC is generated for application C. Then, the random RNA to RNC and the correspondence between the random numbers and the application are transmitted to the applications A to C, so that each application knows the random number corresponding to all the applications.

Table 1         <TABLE border="1" borderColor="#000000" width="85%"><TBODY><tr><td> application</td><td> random number</td></tr><tr ><td> A </td><td> RNA </td></tr><tr><td> B </td><td> RNB </td></tr><tr><td> C </td><td> RNC </td></tr></TBODY></TABLE>

After executing the boot process, the processor 110 loads the operating system into the memory 130 to execute the operating system, and in the case of executing the operating system, launches each application.

In the case where the processor 110 executes the operating system, in step S210, the first application receives the message from the second application. Here, the message transmitted between the first application and the second application may carry at least one of the source key and the transmitter key or both. For example, in the header of the message, a field for recording the source key is added, or a field for recording the destination key is added, or two fields are added to record the source key and the destination key. The format of the message is, for example, an Inter-Process Communication (IPC) format.

Next, in step S215, it is verified whether the message is valid according to the key entrained in the message. For example, the first application determines whether the message is valid according to at least one of the source key and the destination key in the message.

For example, determine if the source key entrained in the message is the second key. If the source key contained in the message is different from the second key, the message is invalid. If the source key contained in the message is the same as the second key, the message is determined to be valid.

Or, determine whether the destination key carried in the message is the first key. If the destination key carried in the message is the same as the first key, the message is determined to be valid. If the destination key carried in the message is different from the first key, the decision message is invalid.

Alternatively, it is determined whether the destination key and the source key carried in the message are the first key and the second key, respectively. If the destination key and the source key carried in the message are the first key and the second key, respectively, the message is determined to be valid. If the destination key contained in the message is different from the first key, or the source key is different from the second key, the message is invalid.

When the determination message is valid, in step S220, the first application returns a response message to the second application according to the message. When the decision message is invalid, the first application will ignore or drop the message.

Let's take another example to explain in detail how the verification message is valid.

3 is a flow chart of a method for determining whether a message between applications is valid, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is one of the above-described steps S215.

In the case that the processor 110 executes the operating system, when the first application receives the message from the second application, in step S305, the processor 110 determines whether the communication port receiving the message in the first application is assigned. Give the second app. If the communication port receiving the message in the first application has been assigned to the second application, step S310 is performed. If the communication port receiving the message in the first application is not assigned to the second application, the determination message is invalid as shown in step S325.

When the application is initialized, the processor 110 assigns each application a communication port for receiving messages for a particular application. Here, the communication port is Inter-Process Communication (IPC). For example, assume that the communication assigned to the second application in the first application is IPC 1, and the communication IPC 1 will only receive the message from the second application. If the communication port receiving the message in the first application is IPC 1, then go to step S310. If the communication receiving the message in the first application is not IPC 1, the message is invalid. That is, the communication port assigned to the second application can only receive the message transmitted from the second application, and the unassigned communication message should not receive the message indicating the transmission from the second application.

If it is determined that the communication port for receiving the message in the first application has been assigned to the second application, in step S310, it is determined whether the source key entrained in the message is the second key. If the source key carried in the message is different from the second key assigned by the second application, the determination message is invalid as shown in step S325; if the source key and the second key are included in the message If the key assigned by the application is the same, step S315 is performed.

In step S315, it is determined whether the destination key entrained in the message is the first key. If the destination key carried in the message is the same as the first key assigned by the first application, the determination message is valid as shown in step S320. If the destination key carried in the message is different from the key assigned by the first application, then as shown in step S325, the message is determined to be invalid. Specifically, the message verification method between the applications of the present invention may perform at least one of steps S310 and S315, and the order between S310 and S315 is not limited.

In summary, each time the boot re-generates the key to be assigned to each application, these applications use these keys to verify the message transfer between each application when entering the operating system phase to prevent Unlawful access by malicious programs. In addition, you can further verify the communication with each application's communication port to further enhance security.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some changes and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Communication hub

110‧‧‧ processor

120‧‧‧ storage unit

130‧‧‧ memory

140‧‧‧Remote communication unit

150‧‧‧Local communication unit

S205~S225‧‧‧Steps of message verification between applications

S305~S325‧‧‧Methods for judging whether the message is valid or not

1 is a block diagram of a communication hub in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a flow chart of a method for verifying messages between applications in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a flow chart of a method for determining whether a message is valid, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

S205~S225‧‧‧Steps of message verification between applications

Claims (14)

An inter-application message verification method for a communication hub, wherein the communication hub includes a processor, and a first application and a second application are installed in the communication hub, and the processor is used to execute the The first application and the second application, the message verification method includes: generating a first key for the first application and the second application by executing a booting program through the processor during a boot process And a second key, and transmitting the first key and the second key to the first application and transmitting the first key and the second key to the second application, so that the first The application and the second application carry a corresponding key when transmitting the message; when the processor executes an operating system, when the first application receives a message from the second application, Verifying, by the processor, whether the message is valid according to the key carried in the message; when determining that the message is valid, the first application returns a message according to the message Should message to the second application; and when it is determined that the message is invalid, the first application to ignore or discard the message. The method for verifying a message according to claim 1, wherein in the booting process, transmitting the first key and the second key to the first application and transmitting the first key and the second After the step of the key to the second application, the storing, by the processor, the first key and the second key to the first application and the storage space corresponding to the second application, so that the First application and The second application has the first key and the second key respectively. The method for verifying a message according to claim 1, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a source key, and when the processor executes the operating system, when the first application When receiving the message from the second application, the step of verifying, by the processor, whether the message is valid according to the key entrapped in the message includes: determining, by the processor, the source end entrained in the message Whether the key is the second key; if the source key carried in the message is different from the second key, the processor determines that the message is invalid; and if the message is entrained The source key is the same as the second key, and the processor determines that the message is valid. The method for verifying a message according to claim 1, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a destination key, and in the case that the processor executes the operating system, when the first application When receiving the message from the second application, the step of verifying, by the processor, whether the message is valid according to the key entrapped in the message includes: determining, by the processor, the destination end entrained in the message Whether the key is the first key; if the destination key carried in the message is the same as the first key, the processor determines that the message is valid; and if the message is entrained The destination key is different from the first key. The processor determines that the message is invalid. The method for verifying a message according to claim 1, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a source key and a field for recording a destination key, and the operating system is executed at the processor. In the case that the first application receives the message from the second application, the step of verifying, by the processor, whether the message is valid according to the key entrapped in the message includes: transmitting the processor Determining whether the destination key and the source key carried in the message are the first key and the second key respectively; if the destination key and the source end gold carried in the message The key is the first key and the second key respectively, and the processor determines that the message is valid; and if the destination key carried in the message is different from the first key, or the source If the terminal key is different from the second key, the processor determines that the message is invalid. The method for verifying a message according to claim 1, wherein the first key and the second key are respectively a first random number and a second random number. The method for verifying a message as described in claim 1, wherein the message is transmitted using an inter-trip communication technique. A communication hub includes: a storage unit for storing a first application and a second application, wherein the first application and the second application respectively correspond to a first device and a second device; a processor coupled to the storage unit; wherein, during the booting process, the processor executes a booting program to generate a first key and a second key for the first application and the second application respectively And transmitting the first key and the second key to the first application and transmitting the first key and the second key to the second application, so that the first application and the second application The application carries a corresponding key when transmitting the message; when the processor executes an operating system, when the first application receives a message from the second application, the first application is based on The key contained in the message verifies whether the message is valid; when it is determined that the message is valid, the first application sends a response message to the second application according to the message; and determines that the message is When invalid, the first application ignores or discards the message. The communication hub of claim 8 further comprising: a local communication unit coupled to the processor and connected to the first device and the second device, wherein the first application is The second application obtains the data of the first device and the second device through the local communication unit; and a remote communication unit coupled to the processor and connected to a server, wherein the The first application and the second application transmit the obtained data of the first device and the second device to the server through the remote communication unit. The communication hub of claim 8, wherein the processor transmits the first key and the second key to the first application and transmits the first key and the The second key to the second application And storing the first key and the second key to the storage space corresponding to the first application and the second application, so that the first application and the second application respectively have the first The key and the second key. The communication hub of claim 8, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a source key, and in the case of executing the operating system, when the first application receives the In the second application, the first application determines whether the source key carried in the message is the second key; if the source key and the second gold carried in the message If the key is different, the first application determines that the message is invalid; if the source key entrained in the message is the same as the second key, then the message is determined to be valid. The communication hub of claim 8, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a destination key, and in the case of executing the operating system, when the first application receives the In the second application, the first application determines whether the destination key carried in the message is the first key; if the destination key and the first gold carried in the message If the key is the same, the first application determines that the message is valid; if the destination key carried in the message is different from the first key, the first application determines that the message is invalid. The communication hub of claim 8, wherein the header of the message includes a field for recording a source key and a field for recording a destination key, in the case of executing the operating system, when When the first application receives the message from the second application, the first application determines the message Whether the target end key and the source end key are the first key and the second key respectively; if the destination end key and the source end key entrained in the message are respectively the first a key and the second key, determining that the message is valid; and if the destination key carried in the message is different from the first key, or the source key and the second key If it is not the same, it is determined that the message is invalid. The communication hub of claim 8, wherein the first key and the second key are a first random number and a second random number, respectively.