Authentication system for gaming machines

摘要

Disclosed is a system and method that uses digital signature technology to authenticate the contents of one or more manifests located on a storage device. Each manifest contains a list of file records, where each record contains the name of a file stored on the storage device, and a signature value derived from the contents of the file. At boot time, the gaming machine first authenticates the contents of the manifest and then authenticates the contents of the files using the signature value stored in the manifest. Files are verified using the signature, as they are needed, during the boot up of the operating system and throughout normal operation. This method reduces the boot time of the gaming machine and eliminates the need to check digital signatures for each individual file or over the entire contents of a non-secure media.;Similarly, a method of adding authentication ability to legacy software components without necessarily altering the legacy software components is disclosed. Introduction of a stronger authentication algorithm, or when a private key has been compromised would normally require the software component to be re-built to support the new algorithm or private/public key pair; however, a method is disclosed where algorithms and key pairs may be changed and applied to legacy software without having to re-built, re-test, re-sign, or re-submit the component to regulatory agencies for approval. Also disclosed is a system and method of establishing a trusted environment containing a gaming operating system and associated authentication module, file system drivers, and/or network drivers that may be used to in the process of authenticating contents of one or more manifests located on a storage device.

主权项

1. A method of authenticating a gaming component in a gaming device-enabled gaming system, the method comprising:
providing a physical network that connects and enables communication between gaming devices in the gaming device-enabled gaming system, each gaming device comprising:
(i) at least one display device;(ii) a plurality of input devices including:
(a) a monetary input device of a first physical item associated with a first monetary value;(b) a monetary output device actuatable to cause a payout associated with a credit balance;(iii) at least one gaming device processor; and(iv) at least one gaming device memory device storing a gaming component; determining, using the at least one gaming device processor, if a manifest is authentic, the manifest including component information and a stored signature for the gaming component; organizing the gaming component into multiple partitions, a first partition associated with an operating system, and other partitions associated with gaming libraries and executables, and multiple games; performing, using the at least one gaming device processor, an authentication calculation on the gaming component over a network connection to evaluate the signature if the manifest is authentic, wherein the first partition is authenticated prior to other partitions associated with game libraries and executables, and multiple games and prior to loading the operating system; authenticating, using the at least one gaming device processor, the gaming component evaluating the signature across the other partitions of the gaming component associated with gaming libraries and executables and multiple games where the first partition is authenticated; and loading the authenticated partitions of the gaming component.