Secure time-to-live

• US 10,567,349 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 02/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wickr Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Statica, Robert, Howell, Christopher A., Coppa, Kara Lynn
• Primary Examiner(s): Naghdali, Khalil
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shaqueal D
• Application Number:
  US14/314,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20180367507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,065 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 computing device comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

determine an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;

transmit the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of the computing device;

obtain, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;

compare the second current time to the expiration time; and

allow, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the first time-to-live value is configurable by the sender of the communication.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

decrypt the communication when allowing access.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein allowing access to the communication comprises displaying the communication.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

deny access to the communication based on a determination that the second current time is greater than the expiration time.

6. The computing device of claim 5 wherein ceasing denying access to the communication comprises deleting the communication.

7. The computing device of claim 5 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting a key configured to decrypt the communication.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the communication comprises an embargo time.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:

deny, based on a determination that a third current time is less than the embargo time, access to the communication.

10. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first device, a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;

determining an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;

transmitting the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of the first device;

obtaining, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;

comparing the second current time to the expiration time; and

allowing, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

denying access to the communication based on a determination is that the second current time is greater than the expiration time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting the communication.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting a key configured to decrypt the communication.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first current time is obtained from an external source.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second current time is obtained from an external source.

16. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;

determining an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;

transmitting the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of a first device;

obtaining, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;

comparing the second current time to the expiration time; and

allowing, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.