Secure time-to-live

• US 10,263,964 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howell, Christopher, Statica, Robert, Coppa, Kara Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shaqueal D
• Application Number:
  US15/964,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20180248853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1066 Hiding content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/121 Restricting unauthorised execution of programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/305 by remotely controlling device operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/20 Hop count for routing purposes, e.g. TTL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• 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 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first device of a first user, a first communication from a second device, wherein the first communication includes a first time-to-live value;

synchronizing the first time-to-live value amongst one or more devices of the first user;

storing, on the first device, the first time-to-live value in a secure database;

determining, by the first device, a first expiration time of the first communication based, in part, on the first time-to-live value received in the first communication;

in response to a user'"'"'s attempt to access the first communication, determining whether a current time is greater than the first expiration time; and

in response to a determination that the current time is not greater than the first expiration time, allowing access to the first communication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the current time further comprises:

obtaining an external master clock time from a first server.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising:

comparing the external master clock time received from the first server to a local device time to determine whether the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, by the first device, that the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value when the external master clock time is significantly different from the local device time; and

using, by the first device, the external master clock time as the current time in response to determining that the user is attempting to circumvent the first time-to-live value.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

preventing, by the first device, access to the first communication when the current time is greater than the first expiration time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein preventing access to the first communication includes deleting the first communication.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving, at the first device, a second expiration time for the first communication from a third device, wherein the third device is commonly owned by the user of the first device; and

enforcing, by the first device, the second expiration on the first communication.

8. A system, comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive a first communication from a first device, wherein the first communication includes a first time-to-live value;

a processor configured to;

synchronize the first time-to-live value amongst one or more devices of a user of the first device;

store the first time-to-live value in a secure database;

determine an expiration time of the first communication based, in part, on the first time-to-live value received in the first communication;

determine whether a current time is greater than the expiration time in response to a user'"'"'s attempt to access the first communication; and

allow access to the first communication when the current time is not greater than the expiration time; and

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

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

obtain an external master clock time from a first server determining the current time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to:

compare the external master clock time received from the first server to a local device time to determine whether the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine that the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value when the external master clock time is significantly different from the local device time; and

use the external master clock time as the current time in response to determining that the user is attempting to circumvent the first time-to-live value.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prevent access to the first communication when the current time is greater than the expiration time.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein preventing access to the first communication includes deleting the first communication.

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

receiving a first communication from a first device, wherein the first communication includes a first time-to-live value;

synchronizing the first time-to-live value amongst one or more devices of a user of the first device;

storing the first time-to-live value in a secure database;

determining an expiration time of the first communication based, in part, on the first time-to-live value received in the first communication;

determining whether a current time is greater than the expiration time in response to a user'"'"'s attempt to access the first communication; and

allowing access to the first communication when the current time is not greater than the expiration time.

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

obtaining an external master clock time from a first server wherein determining the current time.

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

comparing the external master clock time received from the first server to a local device time to determine whether the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value.

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

determining that the user is attempting to circumvent of the first time-to-live value when the external master clock time is significantly different from the local device time; and

using the external master clock time as the current time in response to determining that the user is attempting to circumvent the first time-to-live value.

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

preventing access to the first communication when the current time is greater than the expiration time.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein preventing access to the first communication includes deleting the first communication.