CN-122001605-A - Security element and method for operating the same

Abstract

According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a secure element comprising a first physical communication interface, a second physical communication interface, a processing unit configured to perform a first authentication procedure with a first user via the first physical communication interface and a second authentication procedure with a second user via the second physical communication interface. According to other aspects of the present disclosure, a corresponding method of operating a secure element is envisaged, and a corresponding computer program is provided.

Inventors

• Joachim Thorsten Kramer

Assignees

• 恩智浦有限公司

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20251029

Priority Date

20241105

Claims (10)

1. 1. A security element, comprising: A first physical communication interface; a second physical communication interface; a processing unit configured to perform a first authentication procedure with a first user via the first physical communication interface and a second authentication procedure with a second user via the second physical communication interface.
2. 2. The secure element of claim 1, wherein the second physical communication interface is a wireless interface.
3. 3. A security element as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the second physical communication interface is a short range communication interface.
4. 4. A security element according to claim 3, characterized in that the short-range communication interface is a near field communication, NFC, communication interface or an ultra wideband, UWB, communication interface.
5. 5. A security element as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, implemented as a single integrated circuit.
6. 6. A secure element as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit is configured to allow access to predefined sets of protected data and/or protected functions upon or after successful authentication results are output by both the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure.
7. 7. A secure element as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the processing unit is configured to perform the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure during a single authentication session.
8. 8. An electronic device comprising a security element according to any of the preceding claims.
9. 9. A method of operating a security element, comprising: communicating, by a processing unit included in the secure element, with a first user via a first physical communication interface included in the secure element; communicating, by the processing unit, with a second user via a second physical communication interface included in the secure element; a first authentication procedure is performed by the processing unit with the first user via the first physical communication interface and a second authentication procedure is performed with the second user via the second physical communication interface.
10. 10. A computer program comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing unit included in a secure element, cause the processing unit to: Communicating with a first user via a first physical communication interface included in the secure element; communicating with a second user through a second physical communication interface included in the secure element; a first authentication procedure is performed with the first user via the first physical communication interface and a second authentication procedure is performed with the second user via the second physical communication interface.

Description

Security element and method for operating the same Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a security element. Furthermore, the present disclosure relates to a corresponding method of operating a secure element, and to a corresponding computer program. Background Many electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablet computers, may contain data and functions that should be protected. For example, electronic commerce relies on the secure operation of many devices used in smart homes, communications applications, or as smart accessories or mobile phones. In such cases, it is important that maintenance (e.g., firmware updates) of such devices be operated in a secure manner so that no third party (e.g., hacker) can attack the secure communications and operations of such devices. Disclosure of Invention According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a secure element comprising a first physical communication interface, a second physical communication interface, a processing unit configured to perform a first authentication procedure with a first user via the first physical communication interface and a second authentication procedure with a second user via the second physical communication interface. In one or more embodiments, the second physical communication interface is a wireless interface. In one or more embodiments, the second physical communication interface is a short-range communication interface. In one or more embodiments, the short-range communication interface is a Near Field Communication (NFC) communication interface or an Ultra Wideband (UWB) communication interface. In one or more embodiments, the secure element is implemented as a single integrated circuit. In one or more embodiments, the processing unit is configured to allow access to the predefined set of protected data and/or protected functions upon or after outputting a successful authentication result by both the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure. In one or more embodiments, the processing unit is configured to perform the first authentication procedure and the second authentication procedure during a single authentication session. In one or more embodiments, a single authentication session is a session during which the secure element does not perform a power cycle or chip reset. In one or more embodiments, the processing unit is implemented as firmware. In one or more embodiments, the first authentication process uses one or more first authentication parameters, the second authentication process uses one or more second authentication parameters, and the first authentication parameters are different from the second authentication parameters. In one or more embodiments, an electronic device includes a secure element of the kind set forth. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method of operating a secure element is envisaged, the method comprising communicating with a first user by a processing unit comprised in the secure element via a first physical communication interface comprised in the secure element, communicating with a second user by the processing unit via a second physical communication interface comprised in the secure element, performing a first authentication procedure with the first user by the processing unit via the first physical communication interface and performing a second authentication procedure with the second user via the second physical communication interface. In one or more embodiments, the processing unit allows access to the predefined set of protected data and/or protected functions upon or after obtaining a successful authentication result from both the first authentication process and the second authentication process. In one or more embodiments, the processing unit performs a first authentication procedure and a second authentication procedure during a single authentication session. According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a computer program comprising executable instructions which, when executed by a processing unit comprised in a secure element, cause the processing unit to communicate with a first user via a first physical communication interface comprised in the secure element, with a second user via a second physical communication interface comprised in the secure element, to perform a first authentication procedure with the first user via the first physical communication interface and to perform a second authentication procedure with the second user via the second physical communication interface. Drawings Embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows an example of an electronic device. Fig. 2 shows an illustrative embodiment of a security element. Fig. 3 shows an illustrative embodiment of a method of operating a security element. Fig. 4 shows an illustrative embodiment of an electronic device. Fig. 5 shows an illus