Information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium

• US 20060050877A1
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Mitsuhiro
• Application Number:
  US11/210,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20060050877A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/445 by mutual authentication, e.g. between devices or programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user

Abstract

An information processing apparatus and method, program, and recording medium are provided. The information processing apparatus for communicating with another information processing apparatus by wire or wireless, the apparatus includes a random number generating section generating a random number; a first authentication data generating section generating first authentication data regarding the authentication of the other information processing apparatus on the basis of the generated random number; a authentication data transmitting section transmitting the first authentication data to the other information processing apparatus; an authentication data receiving section receiving second authentication data regarding the authentication of the other information processing apparatus; a decrypting section decrypting the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and an authenticating section verifying, on the basis of the decrypted second authentication data and the generated random number, whether the other information processing apparatus is valid.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus for communicating with another information processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

random number generating means for generating a random number;

first authentication data generating means for generating first authentication data based on the random number generated by the random number generating means, the first authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus;

authentication data transmitting means for transmitting the first authentication data to the another information processing apparatus;

authentication data receiving means for receiving second authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus, the second authentication data being generated based on the first authentication data by the another information processing apparatus;

decrypting means for decrypting the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and

authenticating means for verifying, based on the second authentication data decrypted by the decrypting means and the random number generated by the random number generating means, whether the another information processing apparatus is a valid communications partner.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

encryption method managing means for storing at least one information unit regarding the at least one encryption method and supplying the information unit to the decrypting means.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

each information unit regarding the encryption method includes information that specifies an encryption algorithm and information regarding a key used to encrypt or decrypt data according to a decryption method corresponding to the encryption algorithm, and

the encryption method managing means sequentially supplies the information units regarding the plurality of different encryption methods to the decrypting means in a predetermined order.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the information units regarding the respective encryption methods are shared with the an other information processing apparatus, and

the second authentication data is generated by encrypting the random number, serving as the first authentication data, according to the respective encryption methods through the an other information processing apparatus.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the decrypting means decrypts the second authentication data using the decryption methods corresponding to the respective encryption methods used by the another information processing apparatus, and

when the second authentication data decrypted by the decrypting means is identical to the random number, the authenticating means authenticates the another information processing apparatus as a valid communications partner.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the encryption method managing means further stores information necessary to generate a key and generates the key based on the information.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the information necessary to generate the key includes information units respectively regarding a plurality of different encryption methods which are related to respective types of data to be used, and

the encryption method managing means encrypts plaintext, which is shared with the another information processing apparatus, according to at least one encryption method related to at least one type of data to be used to generate the key.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each information unit regarding the encryption method includes information that specifies an encryption algorithm and information regarding a key used to encrypt data according to the encryption algorithm.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

third authentication data is further received, the third authentication data being generated based on a random number which is generated in order to authenticate the apparatus through the another information processing apparatus,

the random number, serving as the third authentication data, is encrypted using the at least one encryption method to generate fourth authentication data, and

the fourth authentication data is transmitted to the another information processing apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus is authenticated based on the fourth authentication data by the another information processing apparatus.

11. An information processing method for an information processing apparatus which communicates with another information processing apparatus, the method comprising:

generating a random number;

generating first authentication data based on the generated random number, the first authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus;

transmitting the first authentication data to the another information processing apparatus;

receiving second authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus, the second authentication data being generated based on the first authentication data by the another information processing apparatus;

decrypting the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and

verifying, based on the decrypted second authentication data and the generated random number, whether the another information processing apparatus is a valid communications partner.

12. A program for an information processing apparatus which communicates with another information processing apparatus, the program allowing a computer to execute the steps of:

controlling the generation of a random number;

controlling the generation of first authentication data based on the generated random number, the first authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the transmission of the first authentication data to the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the reception of second authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus, the second authentication data being generated based on the first authentication data by the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the decryption of the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and

controlling the verification of, based on the decrypted second authentication data and the generated random number, whether the another information processing apparatus is a valid communications partner.

13. A recording medium in which a program for an information processing apparatus communicating with another information processing apparatus is recorded, the program allowing a computer to execute the steps of:

controlling the generation of a random number;

controlling the generation of first authentication data based on the generated random number, the first authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the transmission of the first authentication data to the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the reception of second authentication data regarding the authentication of the other information processing apparatus, the second authentication data being generated on the basis of the first authentication data by the another information processing apparatus;

controlling the decryption of the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and

controlling the verification of, based on the decrypted second authentication data and the generated random number, whether the another information processing apparatus is a valid communications partner.

14. An information processing apparatus for communicating with another information processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a random number generating section generating a random number;

a first authentication data generating section generating first authentication data on the basis of the random number generated by the random number generating section, the first authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus;

an authentication data transmitting section transmitting the first authentication data to the another information processing apparatus;

an authentication data receiving section receiving second authentication data regarding the authentication of the another information processing apparatus, the second authentication data being generated on the basis of the first authentication data by the another information processing apparatus;

a decrypting section decrypting the second authentication data using at least one decryption method corresponding to at least one encryption method; and

an authenticating section verifying, based on the decrypted second authentication data and the generated random number, whether the another information processing apparatus is a valid communications partner.