Confidential information management system and information terminal for use in the system

• US 20030004881A1
• Filed: 09/07/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Shinzaki, Takashi, Morihara, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,188,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

The present invention provides a confidential information management system which allows users to securely obtain confidential information files containing various confidential information, which files are securely stored in the present system, anywhere and anytime, using a minimum of confidential information. A confidential information file and encoding/decoding software are downloaded to an information terminal from a confidential information managing server and an encoding/decoding software managing server, respectively, so that the confidential information file is decoded on the information terminal by using the encoding/decoding software. The present system is applicable to various (computer) systems which store and manage confidential information (ID numbers, passwords, encryption keys, digital certificates, etc.) for use in user verification.

Claims

1. A confidential information management system, comprising:

a confidential information managing server for storing and managing confidential information files each in an encoded form in such a manner that each of the confidential information files is available to only an authorized user;

an encoding/decoding software managing sever for storing and managing encoding/decoding software which encodes/decodes the individual confidential information files; and

one or more information terminals each capable of having access to both said confidential information managing server and said encoding/decoding software managing sever via a communications network, each said information terminal having an environment such as to operate said encoding/decoding software,

said information terminal being operable, after an authorized user who intends to access an individual confidential information file is verified, to download the last-named individual confidential information file and said encoding/decoding software from said confidential information managing server and said encoding/decoding software managing sever, respectively, and to decode the downloaded confidential information file using said encoding/decoding software.

2. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, further comprising

an access managing server for managing access attempts of the user from said information terminal to both said confidential information managing server and said encoding/decoding software managing server by verifying the user,

said access managing server being operable, upon completion of the user verification, to permit said information terminal to access both said confidential information managing server and said encoding/decoding software managing server.

3. A confidential information management system according to claim 2, further comprising a secure server for providing a secure environment in communications between said access managing server and said information terminal.

4. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal is operable, if any change has been made to the decoded confidential information file, or if a new confidential information file is intended to be stored in said confidential information managing server, to encode the resulting confidential information file or the new confidential information file using said encoding/decoding software before uploading such encoded confidential information file to said confidential information managing server.

5. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal has a display on which the contents of the decoded confidential information file are to be shown.

6. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein the decoded confidential information file contains a program to be executed on said information terminal.

7. A confidential information management system according to claim 5, wherein the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display on said information terminal include both a computer system name and confidential information associated therewith.

8. A confidential information management system according to claim 5, wherein:

the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display on said information terminal include only a computer system name; and

said information terminal has communications means, responsive to a predetermined operation made by the user, for sending confidential information associated with said computer system name to a computer system whose name is identical with said computer system name shown on said display.

9. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

10. A confidential information management system according to claim 5, wherein said information terminal includes:

verifying means for verifying the user; and

storage means for storing the contents of the decoded confidential information file in such a manner that the stored contents of the decoded confidential information file is shown on said display upon completion of the user verification by said verifying means.

11. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, further comprising a radio token, carried by the user, for wirelessly communicating with said information terminal periodically so that the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal unless said information terminal receives a periodic response from said radio token.

12. A confidential information management system according to claim 11, wherein:

said radio token holds information relevant to an encryption key needed for decoding the confidential information file, and sends the last-named information to said information terminal on a request from said information terminal; and

said information terminal receives the information, relevant to said encryption key, from said radio token when decoding the confidential information file.

13. A confidential information management system according to claim 12, wherein said radio token is activated in response to the user verification with a password on said information terminal.

14. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal generates an encryption key, needed for decoding the confidential information file, from a predetermined text password that is input to said information terminal by the authorized user.

15. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal includes an interface to an external storage medium that holds information relevant to an encryption key for decoding the confidential information file, so that said information terminal receives the last-named information from said external storage medium via said interface when decoding the confidential information file.

16. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein:

said encoding/decoding software managing server stores two or more types of encoding/decoding software so as to be downloaded to said information terminal; and

said information terminal downloads a suitable one of such plural types of encoding/decoding software at a fixed time interval, and alters an encoding system currently used in the confidential information file stored in said confidential information managing server into another encoding system that is offered by the downloaded encoding/decoding software.

17. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein the user obtains identification (ID) information and a password, which authorize the user to access said confidential information managing server, by purchasing a prepaid card.

18. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein each said information terminal is a mobile telephone connectable to the Internet.

19. A confidential information management system according to claim 18, wherein the subscriber number of said mobile telephone is used as the ID information of the user.

20. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal includes sampling means for sampling biometric information of the user f or use in verifying the user.

21. A confidential information management system according to claim 1, wherein said information terminal includes:

sampling means for sampling said biometric information of the user;

verifying means for verifying the user using said biometric information sampled by said sampling means; and

storage means for storing first information relevant to an encryption key needed for decoding the confidential information file or second information needed for verifying the user, so that one of said first and second information stored in said storage means is read out upon completion of the user verification by said verifying means.

22. An information terminal adapted to be capable of having access to both a confidential information managing server, which stores and manages confidential information files each in an encoded form in such a manner that each of the confidential information files is available to only an authorized user, and an encoding/decoding software managing server, which stores and manages encoding/decoding software for encoding/decoding the individual confidential information files, via a communications network, wherein:

said information terminal has an environment such as to operate said encoding/decoding software; and

after an authorized user who intends to access an individual confidential information file is verified,

said information terminal is operable to download the last-named individual confidential information file and said encoding/decoding software from the confidential information managing server and the encoding/decoding software managing server, respectively, and to decode the downloaded individual confidential information file using said encoding/decoding software.

23. An information terminal according to said claim 22, wherein if any change has been made to the decoded confidential information file, or if a new confidential information file is intended to be stored in said confidential information managing server, the resulting confidential information file or the new confidential information file is encoded using said encoding/decoding software before uploaded to said confidential information managing server.

24. An information terminal according to said claim 22, having a display on which the contents of the decoded confidential information file are to be shown.

25. An information terminal according to said claim 23, having a display on which the contents of the decoded confidential information file are to be shown.

26. An information terminal according to claim 22, wherein the decoded confidential information file contains a program that is to be executed on said information terminal.

27. An information terminal according to claim 23, wherein the decoded confidential information file contains a program that is to be executed on said information terminal.

28. An information terminal according to claim 24, wherein the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display include both a computer system name and confidential information associated therewith.

29. An information terminal according to claim 25, wherein the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display include both a computer system name and confidential information associated therewith.

30. An information terminal according to claim 24, wherein:

the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display include only a computer system name; and

said information terminal has communications means, responsive to a predetermined operation made by the user, for sending confidential information associated with said computer system name to a computer system whose name is identical with said computer system name shown on said display.

31. An information terminal according to claim 25, wherein:

the contents of the confidential information file shown on said display include only a computer system name; and

said information terminal has communications means, responsive to a predetermined operation made by the user, for sending confidential information associated with said computer system name to a computer system whose name is identical with said computer system name shown on said display.

32. An information terminal according to claim 22, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

33. An information terminal according to claim 23, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

34. An information terminal according to claim 24, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

35. An information terminal according to claim 25, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

36. An information terminal according to claim 26, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

37. An information terminal according to claim 27, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

38. An information terminal according to claim 28, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

39. An information terminal according to claim 29, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

40. An information terminal according to claim 30, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

41. An information terminal according to claim 31, wherein with lapse of a predetermined time after completion of the decoding of the confidential information file, the decoded confidential information file is deleted on said information terminal.

42. An information terminal according to claim 24, comprising:

verifying means for verifying the user; and

storage means for storing the contents of the decoded confidential information file so as to be shown on said display upon completion of the user verification by said verifying means.

43. An information terminal according to claim 25, comprising:

verifying means for verifying the user; and

storage means for storing the contents of the decoded confidential information file so as to be shown on said display upon completion of the user verification by said verifying means.

44. An information terminal according to claim 22, comprising:

sampling means for sampling biometric information of the user;

verifying means for verifying the user using said biometric information sampled by said sampling means; and

storage means for storing first information relevant to an encryption key needed for decoding the confidential information file or second information needed for verifying the user so that one of said first and second information stored in said storage means is read out upon completion of the user verification by said verifying means.