The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Sep. 22, 2015

Filed:

Apr. 08, 2013
Applicant:

Qualcomm Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);

Inventor:

Harlan T. Beverly, McDade, TX (US);

Assignee:

QUALCOMM Incorporated, San Diego, CA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 15/177 (2006.01); G06F 21/57 (2013.01); G06F 12/14 (2006.01); G06F 21/79 (2013.01); G06F 9/44 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 21/575 (2013.01); G06F 9/4416 (2013.01); G06F 12/1433 (2013.01); G06F 21/79 (2013.01);
Abstract

A method of securing network authentication information at a data processing device includes determining a boot source from which to boot the device and comparing the boot source to an expected source. If the boot source is not the expected source, access to the network authentication information is inhibited, such as by disabling access to the portion of memory that stores the authentication information. Further, if the boot source is the expected source, boot code authentication information is retrieved from memory and verified during the boot sequence. If the device authentication information is not authenticated, access to the network authentication information is inhibited. Accordingly, access to the network authentication information is allowed only if the data processing device is booted from an expected source, and only if the boot code is authenticated, thereby reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access to the network authentication information.


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