Method and apparatus for providing an adaptable security level in an electronic communication

• US 10,341,356 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Struik, Marinus
• Primary Examiner(s): Schmidt, Kari L
• Application Number:
  US15/811,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20180069870A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• 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: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles

Abstract

A method of communicating in a secure communication system, comprises the steps of assembling a message at a sender, then determining a security level, and including an indication of the security level in a header of the message. The message is then sent to a recipient.

Claims

1. A method for providing security in an electronic communication system, comprising:

preparing, by a communication device, a plurality of frames, wherein each individual frame in the plurality of frames has a header and data, wherein the preparing the plurality of frames comprises;

for each individual frame;

determining a security level for the individual frame, the security level indicating whether to provide encryption for the individual frame and whether to provide integrity for the individual frame;

based on the security level, including security control bits in the header of the individual frame, wherein the security control bits include one or more security mode bits and integrity level bits, the one or more security mode bits indicate whether encryption is on or off, the integrity level bits indicate which of at least four integrity levels is utilized, the integrity levels corresponding to signing operations of a sender of increasing strength; and

encrypting the data according to the security level for the frame; and

transmitting the plurality of frames to a recipient device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a frame, wherein the frame indicates a version of a key to be used in an encryption system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication device provides the plurality of frames for transmission to a plurality of recipients, and determining the security level includes determining a minimum security level to satisfy the plurality of recipients, wherein the security control bits are based on the minimum security level.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the security level is determined based on predetermined minimum requirements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined minimum requirements are determined among the communication device and at least one recipient device based on an agreed-upon rule.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the security level is determined based upon content of the individual frame.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the security control bits include an indication of a cryptographic algorithm parameter.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

signing the header and data for each individual frame according to the security level for the frame.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a number of integrity levels is four, and the four integrity levels correspond to key lengths of 0, 32, 64, and 128 bits.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the integrity levels uses a key length of 128 bits.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the integrity levels indicates no integrity security.

12. A communication device, comprising:

at least one hardware processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the at least one hardware processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one hardware processor, wherein the programming instructions, when executed, cause the communication device to perform operations comprising;

preparing, by the communication device, a plurality of frames, wherein each individual frame in the plurality of frames has a header and data, wherein the preparing the plurality of frames comprises;

for each individual frame;

determining a security level for the individual frame, the security level indicating whether to provide encryption for the individual frame and whether to provide integrity for the individual frame;

based on the security level, including security control bits in the header of the individual frame, wherein the security control bits include one or more security mode bits and integrity level bits, the one or more security mode bits indicate whether encryption is on or off, the integrity level bits indicate which of at least four integrity levels is utilized, the integrity levels corresponding to signing operations of a sender of increasing strength; and

encrypting the data according to the security level for the frame; and

transmitting the plurality of frames to a recipient device.

13. The communication device of claim 12, the operations further comprising receiving a frame, wherein the frame indicates a version of a key to be used in an encryption system.

14. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the communication device provides the plurality of frames for transmission to a plurality of recipients, and determining the security level includes determining a minimum security level to satisfy the plurality of recipients, wherein the security control bits are based on the minimum security level.

15. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the security level is determined based on predetermined minimum requirements.

16. The communication device of claim 15, wherein the predetermined minimum requirements are determined among the communication device and at least one recipient device based on an agreed-upon rule.

17. The communication device of claim 12, wherein the security level is determined based upon content of the individual frame.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed, cause a communication device to perform operations comprising:

preparing, by the communication device, a plurality of frames, wherein each individual frame in the plurality of frames has a header and data, wherein the preparing the plurality of frames comprises;

for each individual frame;

determining a security level for the individual frame, the security level indicating whether to provide encryption for the individual frame and whether to provide integrity for the individual frame;

based on the security level, including security control bits in the header of the individual frame, wherein the security control bits include one or more security mode bits and integrity level bits, the one or more security mode bits indicate whether encryption is on or off, the integrity level bits indicate which of at least four integrity levels is utilized, the integrity levels corresponding to signing operations of a sender of increasing strength; and

encrypting the data according to the security level for the frame; and

transmitting the plurality of frames to a recipient device.