Blockchain based integrity checks
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Publication Number
US-10726000-B1
Publication Date
2020-07-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are described for determining, based on blockchain, integrity of software and/or data stored on a vehicle. A computing device associated with a vehicle may determine one or more hash values for software and/or data stored on the vehicle. The computing device may receive values from read-only memory associated with the computing device and/or values from a blockchain of a distributed ledger system. The computing device may determine the integrity of the software and/or data based on the one or more hash values, the values from the read-only memory, and/or the values from the blockchain.
Core Innovation
The invention determines one or more first hash values by hashing a collection of information stored on a first computing device associated with a vehicle. The method receives, from read-only memory associated with the first computing device, one or more second hash values and determines whether the one or more first hash values correspond to the one or more second hash values. When the correspondence is determined, an operation associated with the vehicle is performed based on the collection of information.
To verify integrity beyond the locally stored second hash values, the method sends to a second computing device storing at least a portion of a blockchain of a distributed ledger system a request for one or more third hash values associated with the first computing device. The method then receives the one or more third hash values from the second computing device and determines, based on the one or more first hash values and the one or more third hash values, whether to continue the operation.
The disclosed integrity checking further includes Merkle tree hash structures, where the first hash values, the second hash values, and the third hash values correspond to root hash values of first, second, and third Merkle trees stored respectively in the collection of information, in the read-only memory, and in the blockchain of the distributed ledger system. The disclosure also covers identifying a compromised part of the collection of information when hash values differ, and using the hash comparisons to control whether to continue or suspend the operation.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a vehicle integrity checking method, a corresponding vehicle system, and non-transitory computer-readable media. Across the independent claims, the inventive features include local hashing and read-only memory hash correspondence, blockchain-distributed ledger hash retrieval, and a continue-vs-suspend determination based on first and third hash values; Merkle-tree root hash structures and compromised-part determination are also described.
Local hash determination from vehicle-associated stored information
Determining, based on hashing a collection of information stored on the computing device, one or more first hash values.
Read-only memory hash correspondence
Receiving, from read-only memory associated with the computing device, one or more second hash values; and based on determining that the one or more first hash values correspond to the one or more second hash values, performing an operation associated with the vehicle based on the collection of information.
Requesting blockchain-associated third hash values
Sending, to a second computing device storing at least a portion of a blockchain of a distributed ledger system, a request for one or more third hash values associated with the computing device; and receiving, from the second computing device, the one or more third hash values.
Continue determination using first and third hash values
Determining, based on the one or more first hash values and the one or more third hash values, whether to continue the operation.
Merkle tree root hash structures across storage locations
Defining the first hash values, the second hash values, and the third hash values as root hash values of first, second, and third Merkle trees, with the second Merkle tree root hash stored in read-only memory and the third Merkle tree root hash stored in the blockchain of a distributed ledger system associated with the computing device.
Suspending operation when first and third hash values differ
Determining that the one or more first hash values are different from the one or more third hash values; and suspending the operation.
Compromised part determination when hashes differ
Comparing the one or more first hash values with the one or more third hash values to determine a compromised part of the collection of information.
The independent claim set centers on hashing vehicle-associated stored information to obtain first hash values, comparing them to second hash values from read-only memory, and consulting hash values from a blockchain-backed distributed ledger system to determine whether to continue or suspend the vehicle-associated operation. Dependent claims further specify Merkle-tree root hash structures and use hash discrepancies to determine a compromised part of the collection of information.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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