Method and system for asymmetrically encrypting .ZIP files

• US 20050081034A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PKWARE, Inc. (PKW Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PKWARE, Inc. (PKW Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Peterson, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1744 using compression, e.g. sparse files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of integrating existing strong encryption methods into the processing of a .ZIP file to provide a highly secure data container which provides flexibility in the use of symmetric and asymmetric encryption technology. The present invention adapts the well established .ZIP file format to support higher levels of security and multiple methods of data encryption and key management, thereby producing a highly secure and flexible digital container for electronically storing and transferring confidential data.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method of placing data in a .Zip file format data container, said method including:

receiving received data;

encrypting said received data to form encrypted data, wherein said encrypting includes asymmetrically encrypting said received data; and

placing said encrypted data in a data container, wherein said data container is constructed in accordance with a .Zip file format.

26. The method of claim 25 further including:

compressing said received data before encrypting said received data.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said compressing employs a Lempel-Ziv (LZ)-type data compression algorithm.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said compressing employs a Deflate-type data compression algorithm.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein said compressing employs a Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT)-type data compression algorithm.

30. The method of claim 25 further including:

encrypting said received data without compressing said received data.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein said asymmetrically encrypting employs a public key.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein said asymmetrically encrypting employs a X.509 digital certificate.

33. A Zip file format data container, said data container including:

encrypted data,

wherein said encrypted data has been encrypted using asymmetric encryption,

wherein said data container is constructed in accordance with a Zip file format.

34. The .Zip file format data container of claim 33 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption.

35. The .Zip file format data container of claim 34 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Lempel-Ziv (LZ)-type data compression algorithm.

36. The .Zip file format data container of claim 34 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Deflate-type data compression algorithm.

37. The .Zip file format data container of claim 34 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT)-type data compression algorithm.

38. The .Zip file format data container of claim 33 wherein said encrypted data has not been compressed before encryption.

39. The .Zip file format data container of claim 33 wherein said asymmetric encryption employs a public key.

40. The .Zip file format data container of claim 33 wherein said asymmetric encryption employs a X.509 digital certificate.

41. A method of placing data in a data container, said method including:

receiving received data;

encrypting said received data to form encrypted data, wherein said encrypting includes asymmetrically encrypting said received data; and

placing said encrypted data in a data container, wherein said data container is designed for containing compressed files.

42. The method of claim 41 further including:

compressing said received data before encrypting said received data.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein said compressing employs a Lempel-Ziv (LZ)-type data compression algorithm.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein said compressing employs a Deflate-type data compression algorithm.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein said compressing employs a Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT)-type data compression algorithm.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein said data container is constructed in accordance with a .Zip file format.

47. The method of claim 41 further including:

encrypting said received data without compressing said received data.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein said asymmetrically encrypting employs a public key.

49. The method of claim 41 wherein said asymmetrically encrypting employs a X.509 digital certificate

50. A data container, said data container including:

encrypted data,

wherein said encrypted data has been encrypted using asymmetric encryption,

wherein said data container is designed for containing compressed files.

51. The data container of claim 50 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption.

52. The data container of claim 51 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Lempel-Ziv (LZ)-type data compression algorithm.

53. The data container of claim 51 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Deflate-type data compression algorithm.

54. The data container of claim 51 wherein said encrypted data has been compressed before encryption using a Burrows-Wheeler Transform (BWT)-type data compression algorithm.

55. The data container of claim 50 wherein said encrypted data has not been compressed before encryption.

56. The data container of claim 50 wherein said data container is constructed in accordance with a .Zip file format.

57. The data container of claim 50 wherein said asymmetric encryption employs a public key.

58. The data container of claim 50 wherein said asymmetric encryption employs a X.509 digital certificate.