System and method for transmitting and utilizing attachments

• US 20050114671A1
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael S., Kirkup, Michael G., Little, Herbert A., Tapuska, David F., Hecht-Enns, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/182
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity

Abstract

A method of handling cryptographic information in a communication comprising body elements and attachment elements to a mobile device includes the steps of determining if the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information and converting the attachment element into a body element upon determining that the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information.

Claims

1. A system for handling cryptographic information in a cryptographic attachment in a message addressed to a mobile device, the system comprising an inline generator operable to access the cryptographic information in the cryptographic attachment and generate inline cryptographic information from the cryptographic information in the cryptographic attachment and insert the inline cryptographic information into the body part of the message.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the inline generator comprises:

a memory subsystem operable to store data;

a processor coupled to the memory subsystem and operable to read data from the memory subsystem; and

an inline generator software module stored in the memory subsystem and executable on the processor, the inline generator software module comprising instructions to generate inline cryptographic information from the cryptographic information in the cryptographic attachment and insert the inline cryptographic information into the body part of the message.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising an extractor table stored in the memory subsystem, the extractor table comprising one or more extraction conditions, each of the extraction conditions defining an extraction criteria for the inline cryptographic information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the inline generator software module is further operable to generate conversion data detailing the generation of the inline cryptographic information from the cryptographic information in the cryptographic attachment.

5. A method of handling cryptographic information in a communication to a mobile device, the communication comprising body elements and attachment elements, the method comprising the steps of:

determining if the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information; and

converting the attachment element into a cryptographic body element upon determining that the communication includes an attachment element.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of converting the attachment element into a cryptographic body element comprises the steps of:

creating a cryptographic body element; and

copying the cryptographic information in the attachment element into the cryptographic body element.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of deleting the attachment element from the communication.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of appending conversion information to the communication, the conversion information detailing the conversion of the attachment element into the cryptographic body element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of appending conversion information to the communication comprises the step of including the conversion information in a conversion body element.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication is a Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME) message, and wherein the step of determining if the communication includes an attachment element comprising cryptographic information comprises the steps of:

identifying an S/MIME entity in the S/MIME message;

determining if the S/MIME entity comprises cryptographic information; and

upon determining that the S/MIME entity comprises cryptographic information,

determining if the S/MIME entity has an attachment content disposition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of converting the attachment element into a cryptographic body element upon determining that the communication includes an attachment element comprises the steps of:

upon determining that the S/MIME entity has an attachment content disposition, changing the attachment content disposition to an inline content disposition.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of appending conversion information to the S/MIME message, the conversion information detailing the conversion of the attachment content disposition to an inline content disposition.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of converting the attachment element into a cryptographic body element comprises the step of recasting the cryptographic information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of recasting the cryptographic information comprises the steps of:

selecting a subset of the cryptographic information; and

including only the subset of the cryptographic information in the cryptographic body element.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cryptographic information comprises a digital certificate, and wherein the subset of the cryptographic information comprises a public key.