Secure telecommunications

• US 10,630,663 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2018
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• 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:
  US16/142,453
• Time in Patent Office: 573 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 method comprising:

receiving a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via a control channel, wherein the request includes a first meeting identifier, an encrypted first meeting key, and a first ephemeral public component;

obtaining encrypted communication data, via a communication channel, using the first meeting identifier;

deriving a key-encrypting key using the first ephemeral component received in the request and a second ephemeral private component;

decrypting the encrypted first meeting key using the key-encrypting key;

decrypting the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

providing the decrypted communication data to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining encrypted communication data further comprises:

transmitting the first meeting identifier to a communication server.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving encrypted communication data from the communication server over the communication channel in response to transmitting the first meeting identifier to the communication server.

4. A system, comprising:

a first server configured to provide a control channel between a first client device and a second client device;

a second server configured to provide a communication channel between the first client device and the second client device;

the first client device configured to;

transmit a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via the control channel, wherein the request includes a first meeting identifier, an encrypted first meeting key, and a first ephemeral public component; and

transmit, via the communication channel, encrypted communication data; and

the second client device is configured to;

receive, via the control channel, the request to initialize the secure telecommunication;

obtain encrypted communication data, via the communication channel, using the first meeting identifier;

derive a key-encrypting key using the first ephemeral component received in the request and a second ephemeral private component;

decrypt the encrypted first meeting key using the key-encrypting key;

decrypt the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

provide the decrypted communication data to a user.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first server hosts a security platform.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the first server and second server are co-located.

7. The system of 4, wherein the first client device includes a first secure collaboration application.

8. The system of 7, wherein the second client device includes a second secure collaboration application.

9. The system of 8, wherein the first client device and the second client device exchange encrypted communications using the first secure collaboration application and the second secure collaboration application.

10. The system of 8, wherein the first client device and the second client device exchange encrypted telecommunications using the first secure collaboration application and the second secure collaboration application.

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

receiving a request to initialize a secure telecommunication via a control channel, wherein the request includes a first meeting identifier, an encrypted first meeting key, and a first ephemeral public component;

obtaining encrypted communication data, via a communication channel, using the first meeting identifier;

deriving a key-encrypting key using the first ephemeral public component received in the request and a second ephemeral private component;

decrypting the encrypted first meeting key using the key-encrypting key;

decrypting the encrypted communication data using the decrypted first meeting key; and

providing the decrypted communication data to a user.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions for:

transmitting the first meeting identifier to a communication server in order to obtain the encrypted communication data.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions for:

receiving encrypted communication data from the communication server over the communication channel in response to transmitting the first meeting identifier to the communication server.