Methods and apparatus for scalable distributed management of wireless virtual private networks

• US 20030226013A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: Dutertre, Bruno
• Granted Patent: US 7,246,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/163
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• 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 12/0433 Key management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

An application of intrusion tolerant concepts to a software infrastructure for supporting secure group applications. This application is suited for use with network layer protocols such as TBRPF and is particularly adapted for wireless networks, and more specifically mobile ad hoc networks.

Claims

1. A network communication method for mobile wireless network member communication, said method comprising:

dynamically creating groups of users and

dynamically managing group membership.

2. A secure network communication method as in claim 1, wherein dynamically managing group membership further comprises:

means for group management, where such means includes;

authenticating group;

controlling access; and

generating and distributing keys.

3. A wireless communication system comprising:

a plurality of communicating nodes wherein some number of nodes are leaders;

and wherein the n leaders perform in a manner such that the resulting network communications are secure from unauthorized access..

4. A system as in claim 3 wherein at least one of the nodes is mobile.

5. A manageable system of communication within a network collaboration group where at least one node is mobile said system comprising:

means for dynamically creating groups of users

where such means include

means for group management, including such management as applied to fault-tolerance.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein means for group management comprises:

group authentication means;

access control means;

key generation means; and

key distribution means.

7. A group management system comprising:

a plurality of interconnected nodes communicatively coupled with each other as member nodes of a virtual private network (“

VPN”

);

a plurality of leader nodes, where each leader shares the responsibility for group management activities.

8. A group management system as in claim 7 where group management activities include authentication, access control, and key generation and distribution.

9. A group management system as in claim 8 where a new group key is generated and distributed each time the group composition changes.

10. A group management system as in claim 9 where a new group key is generated and distributed periodically.

11. A group management system as in claim 10 wherein any modification of group membership requires agreement between the non-faulty leader.