Patents by Inventor Volker M. M. Boenisch

Volker M. M. Boenisch 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).

  • Patent number: 10037193
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for extracting entropy from mobile devices to generate random numbers. In some embodiments, first vibration data may be received from a first device. Second vibration data may be received from a second device. A first piece of entropy data may be generated using the first vibration data and a second piece of entropy data may be generated using the second vibration data. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be aggregated. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be stored in an entropy pool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinard T. Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Budy D. Notohardjono, Angel N. Mencias
  • Patent number: 9973496
    Abstract: Methods are provided for using a hardware module connectable to multiple computer systems, where the multiple computer systems are connectable to a server within a common network. The method includes: providing a network address of the server in persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing an encrypted secret entity in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing a private key in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; and based on the hardware security module being connectable to one of the computer systems, the method includes: establishing a secure connection between the hardware security module and the server; retrieving, via the secure connection, a wrapping key from the server and storing it in volatile memory of the hardware security module; and decrypting the encrypted secret entity with the wrapping key and storing the decrypted secret entity in the volatile memory of the hardware security module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez-Mencias
  • Patent number: 9928080
    Abstract: Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Patent number: 9836308
    Abstract: Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Patent number: 9767293
    Abstract: At least one hardware security module out of a plurality of hardware security modules is assigned to a guest system. The at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with a master key. A data pattern is used for a challenge protocol adapted to prove that the at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with the master key. The at least one hardware security module including the master key is assigned to the guest system based on a positive outcome of the challenge protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Patent number: 9767295
    Abstract: At least one hardware security module out of a plurality of hardware security modules is assigned to a guest system. The at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with a master key. A data pattern is used for a challenge protocol adapted to prove that the at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with the master key. The at least one hardware security module including the master key is assigned to the guest system based on a positive outcome of the challenge protocol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Publication number: 20170168776
    Abstract: Embodiments include method, systems and computer program products for extracting entropy from mobile devices to generate random numbers. In some embodiments, first vibration data may be received from a first device. Second vibration data may be received from a second device. A first piece of entropy data may be generated using the first vibration data and a second piece of entropy data may be generated using the second vibration data. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be aggregated. The first piece of entropy data and the second piece of entropy data may be stored in an entropy pool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinard T. Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Budy D. Notohardjono, Angel N. Mencias
  • Publication number: 20160241393
    Abstract: At least one hardware security module out of a plurality of hardware security modules is assigned to a guest system. The at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with a master key. A data pattern is used for a challenge protocol adapted to prove that the at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with the master key. The at least one hardware security module including the master key is assigned to the guest system based on a positive outcome of the challenge protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2015
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Publication number: 20160239667
    Abstract: At least one hardware security module out of a plurality of hardware security modules is assigned to a guest system. The at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with a master key. A data pattern is used for a challenge protocol adapted to prove that the at least one hardware security module out of the plurality of hardware security modules is configured with the master key. The at least one hardware security module including the master key is assigned to the guest system based on a positive outcome of the challenge protocol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2015
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Publication number: 20160105429
    Abstract: Methods are provided for using a hardware module connectable to multiple computer systems, where the multiple computer systems are connectable to a server within a common network. The method includes: providing a network address of the server in persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing an encrypted secret entity in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; providing a private key in the persistent memory of the hardware security module; and based on the hardware security module being connectable to one of the computer systems, the method includes: establishing a secure connection between the hardware security module and the server; retrieving, via the secure connection, a wrapping key from the server and storing it in volatile memory of the hardware security module; and decrypting the encrypted secret entity with the wrapping key and storing the decrypted secret entity in the volatile memory of the hardware security module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 14, 2016
    Inventors: Volker M.M. BOENISCH, Reinhard BUENDGEN, Franziska GEISERT, Jakob C. LANG, Mareike LATTERMANN, Angel NUNEZ-MENCIAS
  • Publication number: 20160092687
    Abstract: Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias
  • Publication number: 20160092243
    Abstract: Trusted firmware on a host server is used for managing access to a hardware security module (HSM) connected to the host server. The HSM stores confidential information associated with an operating system. As part of access management, the firmware detects a boot device identifier associated with a boot device configured to boot the operating system on the host server. The firmware then receives a second boot device identifier from the HSM. The boot device identifier and the second boot device identifier are then compared by the firmware. Based on the comparison, the firmware determines that the boot device identifier matches with the second boot device identifier. Based on this determination, the firmware grants the operating system access to the HSM.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Volker M. M. Boenisch, Reinhard Buendgen, Franziska Geisert, Jakob C. Lang, Mareike Lattermann, Angel Nunez Mencias