Patents by Inventor Malcolm Ronald Smith
Malcolm Ronald Smith has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11423391Abstract: An electronic device may include circuitry and an anti-tamper device having a physical characteristic that changes in response to a tamper attempt. The circuitry is configured to determine physically unclonable function (PUF) data based on the physical characteristic and to perform at least one secure operation based on the PUF data. The circuitry is further configured to detect the tamper attempt based a change to the physical characteristic and to perform at least one action in response to detection of the tamper attempt for protecting the electronic device from the tamper attempt.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Block, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Wade, William Hardy, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang
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Publication number: 20200051062Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board having a physically unclonable function (PUF) source. The electronic device may also include an integrated circuit (IC) chip positioned on the printed circuit board, and the first PUF source may be embedded in or formed on the printed circuit board external to the IC chip. The IC chip has processing circuitry that is configured to determine PUF data based on the PUF source. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a cryptographic key or authentication token based on the PUF data and to perform at least one secure operation using the cryptographic key or authentication token.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Applicant: Square, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Wade, William Hardy, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang
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Patent number: 10496975Abstract: A point of sale system has a display for receiving touch inputs, a controller to receive the touch inputs from the display, and a secure controller to receive touch input data from the controller. The system also has a card interface module and a contactless interface module to provide encrypted data to the secure controller. The secure controller can operate in either a secure mode or a non-secure mode. When a non-secure mode is engaged, the secure controller provides the touch input data to a processor. When a secure mode is engaged, the secure controller blocks at least a portion of the touch input data from the processor.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Haipeng Yan
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Patent number: 10474846Abstract: A transaction device includes circuitry that provides a power supply to a processor of the transaction device. Attackers may attempt to glitch the processor power supply in a manner that causes processor to operate incorrectly such as by skipping instructions. A monitoring circuit may be coupled to the processor power supply circuitry to identify conditions that are indicative of a glitch attempt. Glitch attempts may be stored in a memory and reported to the processor to induce the execution of counter-measures.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Yue Yang
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Patent number: 10438190Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board having a physically unclonable function (PUF) source. The electronic device may also include an integrated circuit (IC) chip positioned on the printed circuit board, and the first PUF source may be embedded in or formed on the printed circuit board external to the IC chip. The IC chip has processing circuitry that is configured to determine PUF data based on the PUF source. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a cryptographic key or authentication token based on the PUF data and to perform at least one secure operation using the cryptographic key or authentication token.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Wade, William Hardy, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang
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Patent number: 10430616Abstract: Processor system with a general purpose processor and a cryptographic processor dedicated to performing cryptographic operations and enforcing the security of critical security parameters. The cryptographic processor prevents exposure of critical security parameters outside the cryptographic processor itself, and instead implements a limited scripting engine, which can be used by the general purpose processor to execute operations that require the critical security parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Mark Phillip Zagrodney, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Afshin Rezayee
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Patent number: 10263793Abstract: A device may include a physically unclonable function (PUF) source that has at least one fuse embedded in the device. The PUF source may be responsive to an input for transmitting a signal through the fuse and providing a PUF value based on a measurement of such signal. The device also has circuitry that is configured to modify the fuse by transmitting a signal of sufficiently high current or voltage through the fuse to change its resistance, thereby changing a response of the PUF source to the input.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang, Malcolm Ronald Smith
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Patent number: 10255603Abstract: A transaction device includes a bootloader that a processing unit executes during device startup. The bootloader causes the processing unit to access values from a persistent memory that are relevant to whether a glitch has occurred on a power supply for the processing unit. Based on the values that are acquired from the persistent memory, the processing unit may implement countermeasures, such as disabling certain device operations or delaying the device booting process.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Sqaure, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Yue Yang
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Publication number: 20190028284Abstract: A device may include a physically unclonable function (PUF) source that has at least one fuse embedded in the device. The PUF source may be responsive to an input for transmitting a signal through the fuse and providing a PUF value based on a measurement of such signal. The device also has circuitry that is configured to modify the fuse by transmitting a signal of sufficiently high current or voltage through the fuse to change its resistance, thereby changing a response of the PUF source to the input.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Applicant: Square, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang, Malcolm Ronald Smith
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Publication number: 20190026724Abstract: An electronic device may include a printed circuit board having a physically unclonable function (PUF) source. The electronic device may also include an integrated circuit (IC) chip positioned on the printed circuit board, and the first PUF source may be embedded in or formed on the printed circuit board external to the IC chip. The IC chip has processing circuitry that is configured to determine PUF data based on the PUF source. The processing circuitry is further configured to determine a cryptographic key or authentication token based on the PUF data and to perform at least one secure operation using the cryptographic key or authentication token.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Applicant: Square, Inc.Inventors: Jeremy Wade, William Hardy, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Afshin Rezayee, Yue Yang
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Publication number: 20180247084Abstract: Processor system with a general purpose processor and a cryptographic processor dedicated to performing cryptographic operations and enforcing the security of critical security parameters. The cryptographic processor prevents exposure of critical security parameters outside the cryptographic processor itself, and instead implements a limited scripting engine, which can be used by the general purpose processor to execute operations that require the critical security parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2017Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: Square, Inc.Inventors: Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Mark Phillip Zagrodney, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Afshin Rezayee
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Patent number: 9886596Abstract: Processor system with a general purpose processor and a cryptographic processor dedicated to performing cryptographic operations and enforcing the security of critical security parameters. The cryptographic processor prevents exposure of critical security parameters outside the cryptographic processor itself, and instead implements a limited scripting engine, which can be used by the general purpose processor to execute operations that require the critical security parameters.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2015Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Mark Philip Zagrodney, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Afshin Rezayee
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Patent number: 9300665Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing and verifying transactions involving authentication with a secure credential, such as a smart card, in an untrusted or semi-trusted environment. An application module, operating in an untrusted or semi-trusted environment can be denied access to sensitive data. The application module can determine a preliminary command to be sent to the credential and transmit the preliminary command to a broker module. The broker module, operating in a trusted environment, can supply sensitive data and transmit the command to the credential. Subsequently, the broker module can extract sensitive data from a response before it is transmitted to the application module. A verification server can audit the transaction to verify that it was carried out properly.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2012Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: SecureKey Technologies Inc.Inventors: Troy Jacob Ronda, Andre Boysen, Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Mikhael Khaymov, Kshitiz Vadera, Murat Cat
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Publication number: 20160026990Abstract: A point of sale system has a display for receiving touch inputs, a controller to receive the touch inputs from the display, and a secure controller to receive touch input data from the controller. The system also has a card interface module and a contactless interface module to provide encrypted data to the secure controller. The secure controller can operate in either a secure mode or a non-secure mode. When a non-secure mode is engaged, the secure controller provides the touch input data to a processor. When a secure mode is engaged, the secure controller blocks at least a portion of the touch input data from the processor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: Square, Inc.Inventors: Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Haipeng Yan
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Patent number: 9135472Abstract: Processor system with a general purpose processor and a cryptographic processor dedicated to performing cryptographic operations and enforcing the security of critical security parameters. The cryptographic processor prevents exposure of critical security parameters outside the cryptographic processor itself, and instead implements a limited scripting engine, which can be used by the general purpose processor to execute operations that require the critical security parameters.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: Square, Inc.Inventors: Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Mark Philip Zagrodney, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Afshin Rezayee
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Publication number: 20150121086Abstract: Processor system with a general purpose processor and a cryptographic processor dedicated to performing cryptographic operations and enforcing the security of critical security parameters. The cryptographic processor prevents exposure of critical security parameters outside the cryptographic processor itself, and instead implements a limited scripting engine, which can be used by the general purpose processor to execute operations that require the critical security parameters.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: Kili Technology CorporationInventors: Malcolm Ronald Smith, Kshitiz Vadera, Mark Philip Zagrodney, Kevin Ka Wai Ng, Afshin Rezayee
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Publication number: 20140101734Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for performing and verifying transactions involving authentication with a secure credential, such as a smart card, in an untrusted or semi-trusted environment. An application module, operating in an untrusted or semi-trusted environment can be denied access to sensitive data. The application module can determine a preliminary command to be sent to the credential and transmit the preliminary command to a broker module. The broker module, operating in a trusted environment, can supply sensitive data and transmit the command to the credential. Subsequently, the broker module can extract sensitive data from a response before it is transmitted to the application module. A verification server can audit the transaction to verify that it was carried out properly.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Securekey Technologies Inc.Inventors: Troy Jacob Ronda, Andre Boysen, Afshin Rezayee, Malcolm Ronald Smith, Mikhael Khaymov, Kshitiz Vadera, Murat Cat