Secure messaging with disposable keys

• US 10,020,938 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2017
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kioba Processing, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Suominen, Edwin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Minh
• Application Number:
  US15/588,420
• Publication Number:
  US 20170244561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed for, among other things, secure passphrase handling for computing devices. In one respect, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a plurality of passphrase elements from an input device. The method also includes performing a sequence of secure delay processing operations, each operation generating a delayed output value from an initial value. The passphrase is verified upon completion of the sequence of secure delay processing operations. Further, initial values of respective secure delay processing operations are based on respective passphrase elements and, for each secure delay processing operation after a first secure delay processing operation, a delayed output value from at least one other secure delay processing operations.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a secure messaging system, an electronic message for a recipient;

generating, at the secure messaging system, an encrypted message using a first key and the electronic message, wherein the first key is operable for a first period of time;

storing the encrypted message in a file on the secure messaging system;

generating a decrypted message using a second key and the encrypted message, wherein the second key is operable for a second period of time; and

transmitting, to an electronic device associated with the recipient, the decrypted message, wherein the electronic message and the decrypted message are not stored in files on the secure messaging system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling a hardware device with the secure messaging system, the hardware device storing at least one of;

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key; and

receiving, from the hardware device, the stored at least one of;

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising disabling the hardware device based at least in part on a comparison between a current time and a period of time associated with the stored at least one of:

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from a device associated with a sender of the electronic message, the first key.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the secure messaging system from a device associated with a sender of the electronic message, user authenticating information, wherein generating the encrypted message is further based at least in part on the user authenticating information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user authenticating information comprises a passphrase input.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, in a database coupled with the secure computing system, an association between the first key and the file.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the first period of time associated with the first key is expired;

deleting, from the database, the association between the first key and the file; and

deleting the file from the secure computing system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of image data, text data, video data, or audio data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the first period of time has not expired, and wherein said generating the encrypted message is performed in response to determining that the first period of time has not expired.

11. A secure messaging system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an electronic message for a recipient;

a memory storing machine readable instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the machine readable instructions to cause the secure messaging system to;

generate an encrypted message using a first key and the electronic message, wherein the first key is operable for a first period of time;

store the encrypted message in a file on the memory;

generate a decrypted message using a second key and the encrypted message, wherein the second key is operable for a second period of time; and

transmit, to an electronic device associated with the recipient, the decrypted message, wherein the electronic message and the decrypted message are not stored in files on the secure messaging system.

12. The secure messaging system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the machine readable instructions to cause the secure messaging system to receive at least one of:

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key from a hardware device storing the at least one of;

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key.

13. The secure messaging system of claim 12, wherein the secure messaging system comprises the hardware device.

14. The secure messaging system of claim 12, wherein the hardware device comprises a disposable integrated circuit device.

15. The secure messaging system of claim 12, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the machine readable instructions to cause the secure messaging system to disable the hardware device based least in part on a comparison between a current time and a period of time associated with the stored at least one of:

(i) the first key, or (ii) the second key.

16. The secure messaging system of claim 11, the receiver is further configured to receive, from a device associated with a sender of the electronic message, the first key.

17. The secure messaging system of claim 11, wherein receive is further configured to receive, from a device associated with a sender of the electronic message, user authenticating information, wherein generating the encrypted message is further based at least in part on the user authenticating information.

18. The secure messaging system of claim 17, wherein the user authenticating information comprises a passphrase input.

19. The secure messaging system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the machine readable instructions to cause the secure messaging system to:

store, in the memory, an association between the first key and the file;

determine the first period of time associated with the first key is expired;

delete, from the memory, the association between the first key and the file; and

delete, from the memory, the file.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions executable by one or more processors of a secure messaging system, the instructions causing the secure messaging system to:

receive an electronic message for a recipient;

generate an encrypted message using a first key and the electronic message, wherein the first key is operable for a first period of time;

store the encrypted message in a file on the secure messaging system;

generate a decrypted message using a second key and the encrypted message, wherein the second key is operable for a second period of time; and

transmit, to an electronic device associated with the recipient, the decrypted message, wherein the electronic message and the decrypted message are not stored in files on the secure messaging system.