Revocation and updating of tokens in a public key infrastructure system

• US 20030115466A1
• Filed: 12/19/2001
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Aull, Kenneth W., Bellmore, Mark A., Kerr, Thomas C., Freeman, William E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/006 involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0897 involving additional devices, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard or USB
• 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 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A method and computer program to revoke and update a token (130) having several encryption, signature and role certificates/private keys contained in the token (130). The certificates/private keys in the token 130 are transmitted wrapped by a public key and may only be activated by a private key contained in the token (130). The activation of any certificate/private key requires the entry of a passphrase by a user (132). Further, all certificates/private keys contained in a token (130) are stored in an authoritative database 104. In the event that a token (130) is lost then all certificates/private keys associated with the token (130) are revoked. Further, when new certificates/private keys are issued to a user (132) these certificates/private keys are encrypted using the token'"'"'s (130) public key and downloaded to the token (130).

Claims

1. A token, comprising:

an identification number encoded on the token and a private key stored in the token; and

a plurality of certificates/private keys wrapped in a public key which may be activated by the private key on the token with the entry of a passphrase.

2. The token recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of certificates/private keys are at least one signature certificate/private key, encryption certificate/private key, and role certificate/private key.

3. The token recited in claim 2, wherein the wrapping of the certificates/private keys with the token public key encrypts the certificates/private keys.

4. The token recited in claim 3, wherein the token is a smart card.

5. A method of revoking a token, comprising:

accessing a database having a plurality of records accessible by user identification and token identification, wherein said database has a plurality certificates/private keys associated with each token identification;

revoking each certificate/private key associated with a selected token identification for a given token.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of certificates/private keys are at least one signature certificate/private key, encryption certificate/private key, and role certificate/private key

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the token is a smart card.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the token identification is assigned by the token manufacturer at the time the token is created and stored in the database when assigned to a user.

9. A method of updating a token, comprising:

accessing a database by user identification and token identification, wherein the database has a plurality of certificates/private keys associated with each token identification;

determining which certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys have not been downloaded to the token since the last update;

encrypting all certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys which have been not been downloaded to the token using a public key associated with the token identification in the database to form a download packet;

downloading the download packet to the token; and

activating the certificates/private keys in the download packet using the private key in the token.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

accessing the database by token identification to identify certificates/private keys which are expired or no longer valid; and

deleting the certificates/private keys identified which are expired or no longer valid form the token.

11. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting a message to the user indicating no new certificates/private keys were found in the database when determined that all certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys have been downloaded to the token since the last update from the database.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of certificates/private keys are at least one signature certificate/private key, encryption certificate/private key, and role certificate/private key

13. The method recited in claim 12, wherein the token is a smart card.

14. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer for revoking a token, comprising:

accessing a database having a plurality of records accessible by user identification and token identification, wherein said database has a plurality certificates/private keys associated with each token identification;

revoking each certificate/private key associated with a selected token identification for a given token.

15. The computer program recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of certificates/private keys are at least one signature certificate/private key, encryption certificate/private key, and role certificate/private key

16. The computer program recited in claim 15, wherein the token is a smart card.

17. The computer program recited in claim 16, wherein the token identification is assigned by the token manufacturer at the time the token is created and stored in the database when assigned to a user.

18. A computer program for updating a token embodied on a computer readable medium and executable by a computer, comprising:

accessing a database by user identification and token identification, wherein the database has a plurality of certificates/private keys associated with each token identification;

determining which certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys have not been downloaded to the token since the last update;

encrypting all certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys which have been not been downloaded to the token using a public key associated with the token identification in the database to form a download packet;

downloading the download packet to the token; and

activating the certificates/private keys using the private key in the token.

19. The computer program as recited in claim 18, further comprising:

accessing the database by token identification to identify certificates/private keys which are expired or no longer valid; and

deleting the certificates/private keys identified which are expired or no longer valid from the token.

20. The computer program recited in claim 19, further comprising:

transmitting a message to the user indicating no new certificates/private keys were found in the database when determined that all certificates/private keys of the plurality of certificates/private keys have been downloaded to the token since the last update from the database.

21. The computer program recited in claim 20, wherein the plurality of certificates/private keys are at least one signature certificate/private key, encryption certificate/private key, and role certificate/private key

22. The computer program recited in claim 21, wherein the token is a smart card.