Systems and methods for protecting communications

• US 10,382,595 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Security Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Smart Security Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Tola, Jr., Kenneth C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Luu T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Harvey I
• Application Number:
  US15/115,209
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport
• 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 63/162 at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers

Abstract

A method includes receiving a data packet including a header having a structure from an operating system at a virtualization layer, where the virtualization layer is above a physical layer and below all other layers. The method also includes performing an operation on a portion of the data packet other than the header, thereby creating a modified data packet and maintaining the original header structure. The method further includes transmitting the modified data packet, including the original header structure, to the physical layer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an Ethernet data packet comprising a header having a structure from an operating system at a virtualization layer, the virtualization layer being above a physical layer and below all other layers;

performing an operation on a portion of the Ethernet data packet other than the header, thereby creating a modified data packet and maintaining the original header structure;

accessing, by the virtualization layer, an encryption modulation chart;

updating the virtualization layer to apply a first encryption algorithm to a first portion of the Ethernet data packet and to apply a second encryption algorithm to a second portion of the Ethernet data packet;

selecting, by the virtualization layer, an encryption algorithm from the encryption modulation chart;

applying different encryption algorithms, by the virtualization layer to the Ethernet data packet at the same point in time;

transmitting the modified data packet, including the original header structure, to the physical layer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at least a first and a second Ethernet data packet;

applying a first encryption algorithm to a portion of the first Ethernet data packet; and

applying a second encryption algorithm to a portion of the second Ethernet data packet.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a first encryption algorithm to an Ethernet data packet received at a first time and applying a second encryption algorithm to an Ethernet data packet received at a second time, wherein the virtualization layer alters the encryption algorithm applied to one or more packets at different points in time.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing, by the virtualization layer, the encryption modulation chart and applying an encryption algorithm to an Ethernet data packet based on the encryption modulation chart.

5. A method for device authentication, the method comprising:

sending a request from a device to an authentication client;

receiving a response including a virtualization client,

obtaining, by the virtualization client, unique device identification information from the device;

sending the unique device identification information to the authentication client, thereby authenticating the device at the authentication client;

sending a request for user authentication information from the authentication client to the virtualization client;

sending user authentication information from the device to the authentication client, thereby authenticating a user of the device at the authentication client; and

authenticating the user by using the user authentication information and unique device identification information to authenticate the user;

receiving an Ethernet data packet comprising a header having a structure from an operating system at a virtualization layer; and

performing an operation on a portion of the Ethernet data packet, other than the header, thereby creating a modified data packet and maintaining the original header structure, wherein the operation comprises;

encrypting the portion of the data packet while not encrypting the original packet header structure;

updating the virtualization layer to apply a different encryption algorithm to the portion of the Ethernet data packet; and

selecting and applying different encryption algorithms, by the virtualization layer, to the Ethernet data packet at the same point in time;

transmitting the modified data packet, including the original header structure, to a physical layer of the device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising installing a virtualization layer with the virtualization client, and using the virtualization layer to secure further communications between the device and the authentication client.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein using the virtualization layer to secure communications further comprises:

receiving an Ethernet data packet comprising a header having a structure from an operating system executing on the device at the virtualization layer, the virtualization layer being above a physical layer and below all other layers.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising sending the user authentication information in a multiple-step authentication process.

9. The method of claim 5 further comprising encrypting data being sent to the authentication client by the device using a key.