JP2989705B2 - Download program protection method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software download technology for an information processing system, and more particularly, to a system in which a download target device is connected to a plurality of HOST computer systems, to prevent unauthorized download and protect a download program being executed. The present invention relates to a technology effective when applied to a protection method of a download program which is enabled.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when downloading software from a HOST computer system to a distributed machine system via a communication line, a method of checking the validity of whether or not to download the software is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-15.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2536, there is one in which software on the HOST computer side checks the validity at the time of installation as to whether or not to download.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, since the software on the HOST computer makes the final decision as to whether or not to download, an illegal program may be intentionally or incorrectly installed due to a software defect. Downloading may be executed, and there is a problem in terms of security, file destruction, etc., especially due to unauthorized file access.

[0004] When the same software as the software to be downloaded has already been downloaded, the download is an unnecessary operation. Even if the name of the program to be downloaded is the same, the download may be performed depending on the version / revision difference. There are times when it should and should not be done, and if these decisions are left to the operator, there is a problem that normal operations cannot be performed due to an operation error or the like.

[0005] Further, in an apparatus of a system in which a downloaded program is not stored in a file but stored in a memory of a download side apparatus and immediately executed after downloading, downloading is permitted according to the execution state of the downloaded program. If the HOST-side software cannot automatically recognize these situations, there is a problem that the work in operation cannot be normally performed by executing the download. In particular, this problem is caused by a HOST with multiple download target device systems.
It occurs remarkably in a system connected to a computer system.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a protection method for a download program in which a device on the download side checks the validity of the download so that unauthorized software cannot be easily downloaded from the HOST. It is in.

Another object of the present invention is to avoid unnecessary downloads and protect a download program during operation by providing a function capable of reporting the status of the download side to the HOST side. It is to provide a protection method for a download program.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, the outline of a representative one will be briefly described.
It is as follows.

That is, the protection method of the download program of the present invention includes at least the HOST computer and the H
A OST computer and an IO peripheral device including a communication control device connected via an IO interface, wherein the HOST computer transfers a software to the IO peripheral device by downloading, and is a protection method of a download program, wherein A function for permitting only a specific command for accepting a security code in an initial startup state at the time of power-on, comprising a security code table having a plurality of security codes determined in advance in a download control program of the apparatus; If the PIN code sent from and matches the PIN code in the PIN code table,
It has a function of permitting a command for download program transfer.

In this case, the HOST computer is connected to a HOS
The T computer system, the IO peripheral device is a distributed computer system connected to the HOST computer system via a communication line, and a secret code of a specific format sent from the HOST computer system to the distributed computer system and a secret code table. HO only when the password matches
The software sent from the ST computer system is recognized as a download program.

The HOST computer or HOST
The software on the computer system side has a function of inquiring about the status of the partner device to be downloaded, and all software executed on the IO peripheral device or the distributed computer system side has a HOST computer or HOS
It has a function of reporting the device status in response to an inquiry from the T computer system.

Further, when a software logical inconsistency is detected in the downloaded program, HOST
It is provided with a function of making a redownload request to the computer or the HOST computer system.

[0014]

According to the above-described protection method for the download program, the security code table is provided in the download control program of the IO peripheral device, so that the HO is protected.
Only when the password from the ST computer matches the password in the password code table, the command for transferring the download program can be permitted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the software from being illegally downloaded to and executed by a non-target IO peripheral device.

In this case, since the HOST computer is a HOST computer system and the IO peripheral device is a distributed machine system, the password in a specific format from the HOST computer system matches the password in the password code table. Only when this is done, the software sent from the HOST computer system can be recognized as a download program. As a result, it is possible to prevent the software from being illegally downloaded to a file in the non-target distributed machine system and executed.

Also, an inquiry about the status of the download partner device is made from the HOST computer or the HOST computer system side, and in response to the inquiry, the status of the device, for example, the status of undownloaded or completed, and the downloaded program when downloaded. The report of the name, the version (Ver) / revision (Rev), the creation date, and the download permission / non-permission information (during the business process or the completion of the business process) is executed on the IO-related peripheral device or the distributed machine system, so that the HOST computer Or HOST
The software of the computer system can automatically determine whether to download. Thereby, the burden on the operator can be reduced as much as possible.

Further, the download request is re-executed when a software-based logical contradiction is detected, so that a software failure can be automatically recovered by, for example, downloading an enhanced or defective countermeasure download program. .

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information processing system as an embodiment of a download program protection method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an information processing system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a personal identification code table to be referred to, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing details of status report information, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the download control program executed on the HOST computer side. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the download control program executed on the download target device.
It is a flowchart figure which shows the process for transferring to T computer.

First, the configuration of the information processing system of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The information processing system according to the present embodiment is an information processing system comprising, for example, an IO peripheral device including a HOST computer and a communication control device, and includes two HOST computers 1 and 1a, a download target device 2, and a HOST computer. IO interface cables 3 and 3a for connecting download target devices (IO peripheral devices) 2
It is composed of

The HOST computers 1 and 1a incorporate download control programs 4 and 4a for downloading software, respectively, and are further connected to input / output files 5 and 5a. This input / output file 5,5
In a, download programs 6 and 6a are respectively incorporated.

When the download target device 2 starts up, the IPL (In) is automatically added to the download target device 2.
tial Program Loader), which has a built-in download control program 7 that is executed,
A download program 8 similar to 5a is incorporated.

Then, the download programs 6, 6a
Is HO by the download control programs 4 and 4a.
The download target device 2 is read by the ST computers 1 and 1a and cooperated with the download control program 7.
The task is performed by being stored in the memory of the PC and executed.

The password code table 9 referred to by the download control program 7 of the download target device 2
As shown in FIG. 2, is composed of a plurality of personal identification codes 9a previously determined between the download control programs 4 and 4a executed by the HOST computers 1 and 1a and an end mark 9b indicating the end of the personal identification code table 9. ing.

The status report information 10 reported by the download control program 7 or the download program 8 includes a status flag 10a, a program name 10b, a Ver-Rev 10c, and a creation date 1 as shown in FIG.
0d, for example, the bit of the status flag 10a.
0 is not downloaded yet, Bit1 is downloadable /
It indicates that the download is not possible, and is executed by the download target device 2 at the request of the download control programs 4 and 4a of the HOST computers 1 and 1a. The processing flow of the status report information 10 in this case is incorporated in the download control program 7 and the download program 8.

Next, with regard to the operation of the present embodiment, the download program processing will be described based on, for example, the HOST computer 1 based on FIG. 4 and the download target apparatus 2 based on FIG.

First, when an operation system of the HOST computer 1 is started up or an operation command is input, when a download request is generated, FIG.
Is started. At the time of execution of this program processing, the download target device 2 is usually executing the download control program 7 or the downloaded download program 8.

First, the download control program 4 of the HOST computer 1 issues a status confirmation command to the download target device 2 in step 401 of FIG.

In this case, if the program being executed by the download target device 2 is the download control program 7, after receiving the status confirmation command in steps 501 and 502 in FIG. 5, the status report shown in FIG. The information 10 is created, and the status report information 10 is transferred in step 504.

Then, it is checked in step 505 whether the report has been made correctly. If an error is detected, the error is reported to the HOST computer 1 in step 506. The error report in this case is usually due to a hardware failure.

Further, if the program being executed by the download target device 2 is a downloaded program,
The downloaded program starts the status report process, creates status report information 10 in the same manner as described above in step 601 of FIG. 6, and executes HOST in step 602.
The status report information 10 is transferred to the computer 1.

In this case, the status flag 10a of the status report information 10 to be transferred has Bit0 turned ON, and Bit1 determines whether redownloading can be permitted and determines whether to turn ON or OFF. Normally, when there is no job to be executed, it is turned on to permit downloading.

Subsequently, it is checked in step 603 whether or not the transfer of the status report information 10 has detected an error. If an error has occurred, an error is reported to the HOST computer 1 in step 604.

Then, the download control program 4 of the HOST computer 1 issues a status confirmation command in step 401 of FIG. 4, and then checks in step 402 whether the information sent from the download target device 2 has been normally read. To check. If an error report is accepted, a return code is set in step 403 and the process is terminated.

Further, the bit 0 of the status flag 10a of the status report information 10 read in step 404 is checked, and if the download has not been performed, the personal identification code 9a predetermined in step 405 is issued to the download target device 2.

In this case, in the download control program 7 of the download target device 2, the step 5 in FIG.
07, it is checked whether or not there is a secret code transfer command. If yes, it is checked whether there is a secret code transmitted in step 508 and a plurality of secret codes 9a in the secret code table 9 in FIG. To check.

If the passwords match, a normal report is sent to the HOST computer 1 in step 509, and
Further, in step 510, the download acceptance permission flag is turned ON. If there is no matching password code in step 508, a command rejection abnormality report is sent to the HOST computer 1 in step 511.

Then, the download control program 4 of the HOST computer 1 checks whether or not the processing is normally completed in step 406 of FIG. If an error report such as a command rejection report is detected, a return code to that effect is set in step 407, and the process ends.

If the download is permitted by the transfer of the personal identification code, the download program 6 is read into the memory of the HOST computer 1 in step 408, and is transferred to the download target device 2 in step 409. Then, a normal end is determined in step 410, and a return code is set in steps 411 and 412, and the process ends.

In this case, in the download program processing on the download target device 2 side, step 51 in FIG.
Check if it is a download command by 2 and
If so, step 513 checks whether the download permission flag is ON. If it is determined in step 512 that the command is not a download command,
Alternatively, if the download is not permitted in step 513, the command rejection report is set to H in step 514.
This is performed for the OST computer 1.

If the download permission flag is ON in step 513, the download program 6 sent from the HOST computer 1 is read into the memory in the apparatus in step 515.

Further, at step 516, it is checked whether or not the program could be read normally. If the read could not be normally performed, an error is reported at step 517. This error report is generally a device failure. If the error check result in step 516 is normal, the download permission flag is turned off in step 518 to prohibit the download command.

In the download program processing of the HOST computer 1, if the download has been completed in step 404 in FIG. 4, if the download is permitted and the download is required in steps 413 and 414, the initial state control shift command is executed in step 415. I do.

Then, a normal end is determined in step 416, and if the end is normal, the processing from step 401 is repeated. If a download is not possible in steps 413 and 414 and an abnormality report is detected in step 416, a return code is set in steps 417 to 419, respectively, and the process ends.

As described above, only when the personal identification code from the HOST computer 1 and the personal identification code in the personal identification code table 9 match, the download program transfer command is permitted and downloaded to the download target device 2. Can be.

Therefore, according to the information processing system of the present embodiment, a security code composed of a plurality of security codes 9a previously determined between the download control programs 4 and 4a executed by the HOST computers 1 and 1a. A download control program 7 executed by the download target device 2 refers to the password code table 9 to check the validity of the download and make it impossible to easily download unauthorized software from the HOST computer 1. It can be.

Further, when the program being executed by the download target device 2 is a download program, the status report information 10 is created by status report processing, and it is possible to avoid unnecessary downloads by checking whether an error has been detected. At the same time, the download program during operation can be protected.

As described above, the invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist of the invention. Needless to say.

For example, in the information processing system of the present embodiment, the case where the HOST computers 1 and 1a and the download target device 2 are connected by the IO interface cables 3 and 3a has been described. The present invention is not limited to this. The present invention is also applicable to a case where a remote machine is connected to a distributed machine system via a communication line. Commands and information exchanged in the line information data are incorporated in the line information data.

In this embodiment, the case where the download program is written in the memory of the download target device 2 has been described. For example, once the write program is written in the file connected to the download target device 2 and then loaded from the file into the memory. It is also effective when executed.
At this time, the program read process in step 515 in FIG. 5 is changed to a program read and a file write process.

[0051]

Advantageous effects obtained by typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described.
It is as follows.

(1) A security code table having a plurality of security codes determined in advance is provided in the download control program of the IO-related peripheral device. In the initial startup state at the time of power-on, a specific security code is received. By having a function of permitting only commands and a function of permitting commands for download program transfer when the security code sent from the HOST computer matches the security code in the security code table, Only when the security code of the security code table matches the security code in the security code table, the command for the download program transfer can be permitted, so that the software is illegally downloaded to the non-target IO peripheral device,
Execution can be prevented.

(2) Since the HOST computer is a HOST computer system and the IO-related peripheral devices are a distributed computer system connected to the HOST computer system via a communication line, a password in a specific format from the HOST computer system is obtained. Only when the code matches the password in the password code table, the software sent from the HOST computer system can be recognized as a download program. Download and execution.

(3) A function is provided for inquiring the HOST computer or the software of the HOST computer system about the status of the partner device to be downloaded.
The software on the HOST computer or the HOST computer system can be downloaded by providing a function to report the device status in response to an inquiry from the HOST computer or the HOST computer system to all software executed on the system peripheral device or the distributed computer system. Since it can be automatically determined whether or not to do so, the burden on the operator can be reduced as much as possible.

(4) When a software logical inconsistency is detected in a downloaded program, a function of requesting the HOST computer or the HOST computer system to redownload the software automatically recovers the software failure. Can do it.

(5) According to the above (1) to (4), it is possible to confirm the state of the destination device to be downloaded before downloading and to avoid unnecessary download, thereby reducing software overhead, It is possible to obtain a download program protection method capable of preventing the destruction of the running download program.

(6) According to the above (1) to (4), by having the function of checking the personal identification code in the other device to be downloaded, it is possible to prevent the illegal downloading of the program and to prevent the destruction of the reading of the confidential information. It is possible to obtain a protection scheme for the download program that can be prevented.

(7) According to the above (1) to (4), especially in a 24-hour operation system, a protection method for a download program which can reduce the influence on the business due to a failure of the download program or the like. Can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an information processing system that is an embodiment of a download program protection method according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a personal identification code table referred to by a download control program on a download target device side in the information processing system of the present embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing details of status report information in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a download control program executed on the HOST computer side in the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a download control program executed by a download target device in the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process for transferring status report information to a HOST computer in the present embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 1a HOST computer 2 download target device (IO peripheral device) 3, 3a IO interface cable 4, 4a download control program 5, 5a input / output file 6, 6a download program 7 download control program 8 download program 9 security code table 9a PIN 9b End mark 10 Status report information 10a Status flag 10b Program name 10c Ver-Rev 10d Creation date

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. At least a HOST computer and said HOS
A T computer and an IO peripheral device including a communication control device connected via an IO interface, wherein the HOST computer transfers software to the IO peripheral device by downloading, and the download program is a protection method of the download program. A function of providing a security code table having a plurality of security codes determined in advance in a download control program of the IO peripheral device, and permitting only a specific command for accepting the security code in an initial startup state at power-on. And a function for permitting a command for download program transfer when the password transmitted from the HOST computer matches the password in the password code table. . 2. The HOST computer is a HOST computer system, and the IO peripheral device is a disperser system connected to the HOST computer system via a communication line, and is sent from the HOST computer system to the disperser system. 2. The software according to claim 1, wherein the software transmitted from the HOST computer system is recognized as a download program only when the security code in the specific format and the security code in the security code table match. Program protection method. 3. The software of the HOST computer or the HOST computer system has a function of inquiring about the status of a partner device to be downloaded, and all the software executed on the IO peripheral device or the distributed machine system side include: The HOST computer or HOS
A function of reporting a device state in response to an inquiry from the T computer system, wherein the HOST computer or the HOST
2. The software according to claim 1, wherein the software of the computer system automatically determines whether to download.
Or the protection method of the download program described in 2. 4. A function of requesting the HOST computer or the HOST computer system to re-download when a logical inconsistency in software is detected in the downloaded program, and automatically recovering a software failure. 4. The protection method for a download program according to claim 1, wherein: