Secure telecommunications

• US 10,116,637 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2016
• Issued: 10/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasabwala, Dipakkumar R., Leavy, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Darren B
• Application Number:
  US15/381,093
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0833 involving conference or group key network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3066 involving algebraic varieties, e.g. elliptic or hyper-elliptic curves
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/041 Key generation or derivation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/69 Identity-dependent

Abstract

The present disclosure describes techniques for configuring and participating in encrypted audio calls, audio conferences, video calls, and video conferences. In particular, a call initiator generates a meeting identifier and a first meeting key, which are encrypted using a first encryption key and distributed to one or more participants of the call. The one or more participants decrypt the meeting identifier and the first meeting key, and use that information to participate in the encrypted call. Further, participants respond to the encrypted communication data by encrypting their reply data with the first meeting key. The call initiator decrypts the reply data using the first meeting key.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive, at a first device via a control channel, a secure telecommunication request from a second device, wherein the secure telecommunication request includes at least one of a first meeting identifier and a first meeting key;

transmit, from the first device, the meeting identifier to a communication server, via a communication channel that is separate from the control channel, to obtain encrypted communication data;

receive, at the first device, encrypted communication data from the communication server;

decrypt, by the first device, the encrypted communication data using the first meeting key;

provide the decrypted communication data to a user of the first device; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first meeting identifier and the first meeting key are encrypted in the secure telecommunication request.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to:

decrypt the encrypted first meeting identifier using a second key.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to:

decrypt the encrypted first meeting key using a second key.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

capture, on the first device, reply data in response to the decrypted communication data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to:

encrypt the reply data using the first meeting key; and

transmit the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the communication channel.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device via a control channel, a secure telecommunication request from a second device, wherein the secure telecommunication request includes at least one of a first meeting identifier and a first meeting key;

transmitting, from the first device, the meeting identifier to a communication server, via a communication channel that is separate from the control channel, to obtain encrypted communication data;

receiving, at the first device, encrypted communication data from the communication server;

decrypting, by the first device, the encrypted communication data using the first meeting key;

providing the decrypted communication data to a user of the first device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first meeting identifier and the first meeting key are encrypted in the secure telecommunication request.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

decrypting the encrypted first meeting identifier using a second key.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

decrypting the encrypted first meeting key using a second key.

11. The method of claim 7, comprising:

capturing, on the first device, reply data in response to the decrypted communication data.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

encrypting the reply data using the first meeting key; and

transmitting the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the communication channel.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform the steps of:

receiving, via a control channel, a secure telecommunication request, wherein the secure telecommunication request includes at least one of a first meeting identifier and a first meeting key;

transmitting the meeting identifier to a communication server, via a communication-channel that is separate from the control channel, to obtain encrypted communication data;

receiving encrypted communication data from the communication server;

decrypting the encrypted communication data using the first meeting key;

providing the decrypted communication data to a user.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13,

wherein the first meeting identifier and the first meeting key are encrypted in the secure telecommunication request.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions for:

decrypting the encrypted first meeting identifier using a second key.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, comprising instructions for:

decrypting the encrypted first meeting key using a second key.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, comprising instructions for:

capturing, on the first device, reply data in response to the decrypted communication data.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, comprising instructions for:

encrypting the reply data using the first meeting key; and

transmitting the encrypted reply data to one or more participants of the secure telecommunication via the second channel.