Method and system for verifying authenticity of at least part of an execution environment for executing a computer module

Abstract

A system for verifying authenticity of at least part of an execution environment for executing a computer program module. The system includes a processor and a storage for storing the computer program module and the execution environment. The computer program module is operative to cause the processor to process digital input data in dependence on a plurality of predetermined digital parameters. The system includes means for deriving at least part of one of the plurality of predetermined digital parameters from the at least part of the execution environment.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of verifying authenticity of at least part of an execution environment for executing a computer program module, where the computer program module is operative to cause processing of digital input data, the processing carried out in dependence on a plurality of predetermined digital parameters, the method comprising:
 deriving, using a predetermined algorithm, at least part of one of the plurality of predetermined digital parameters from the at least part of the execution environment.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 executing the computer program module to cause the processing of the digital input data in dependence on the plurality of parameters meeting a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 executing the computer program module to cause the processing of the digital input data only if the plurality of parameters meets a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 verifying whether the plurality of parameters meet the predetermined criterion, wherein said verifying comprises:
 performing at least one trial run of at least part of the computer program module on predetermined digital input data using the plurality of parameters; and 
 verifying whether an output of the trial run meets a predetermined criterion. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving the predetermined digital input data from a server as a challenge; and   providing the output of the trial run to the server, enabling the server to perform the verification.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined algorithm is implemented using computer executable instructions for converting a representation of the execution environment to the at least one parameter. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a part of a bit representation of the plurality of parameters is equal to at least a part of a bit representation of computer executable instructions of the execution environment; and wherein instructions of the computer program module are arranged for, during an execution, using at least one memory address holding the part of the bit representation of the instructions of the execution environment also for reading the equal part of the bit representation of the parameters by reference. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein a part of a bit representation of the plurality of parameters is equal to at least a part of a bit representation of computer executable instructions of the computer program module; and wherein the instructions are arranged for, during an execution of the instructions, using at least one memory address holding the part of the bit representation of the instructions also for reading the equal part of the bit representation of the parameters by reference. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the predetermined algorithm causes at least one data element of the execution environment to be used as one or more or part of the plurality of parameters. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of digital parameters include a representation of at least one of the following:
 cryptographic data;   digital content encoding/decoding data;   digital content scrambling/descrambling data.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the cryptographic data comprises a cryptographic key and/or a cryptographic algorithm. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the digital content encoding/decoding data comprises a coding table and/or a coding algorithm. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the digital content scrambling/descrambling data comprises a scrambling table and/or scrambling algorithm. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the digital input data comprises digital content encrypted and/or encoded and/or scrambled under control of a content-specific key, the method further comprising:
 receiving a representation of the content specific key; and   deriving at least part of one of the plurality of predetermined digital parameters from the received representation of the content-specific key.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein the derived part of the digital parameters includes a network of obfuscated look-up tables wherein at least one table has been obfuscated in dependence on the at least part of the execution environment and wherein the algorithm is arranged to derive at least one compensating element from the at least part of the execution environment and insert the at least one compensating element in another one of the obfuscated look-up tables such that the network of obfuscated look-up tables is functionally equivalent to the network of look-up tables. 
     
     
         29 . A system arranged to verify authenticity of at least part of an execution environment for executing a computer program module, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a storage for storing the computer program module and the execution environment,   wherein the computer program module is operative to cause the processor to process digital input data, the processing carried out in dependence on a plurality of predetermined digital parameters; and   wherein the system further comprises means for deriving at least part of one of the plurality of predetermined digital parameters from the at least part of the execution environment.   
     
     
         30 . A tangible computer-readable medium storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method of verifying authenticity of at least part of an execution environment for executing a computer program module, where the computer program module is operative to cause processing of digital input data, the processing carried out in dependence on a plurality of predetermined digital parameters, the method comprising:
 deriving, using a predetermined algorithm, at least part of one of the plurality of predetermined digital parameters from the at least part of the execution environment.