Key Distribution For Secure Messaging

• US 20070130084A1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Williams, Roy, Freeman, Trevor, Kay, Jeffrey, Pearson, Malcolm, Tribble, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• 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 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

A transmitting gateway may utilize a retrieved domain-specific key to secure an outbound message, and a receiving gateway may utilize another retrieved domain-specific key to authenticate and validate the secured message.

Claims

1. At least one computer-readable medium having executable instructions that, when read, cause one or more processors to:

receive a secured message;

retrieve a key corresponding to a sending agent from which the secured message originated; and

authenticate and validate the secured message using the retrieved key corresponding to the sending agent.

2. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more executable instructions to retrieve the key cause the one or more processors to access a DNS server corresponding to a domain associated with the sending agent from which the secured message originated.

3. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more executable instructions to retrieve the key cause the one or more processors to access a DNS server corresponding to a domain associated with the sending agent from which the secured message originated, and wherein further the key is related to a user on the domain associated with a user of the sending agent.

4. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more executable instructions to authenticate and validate the secured message cause the one or more processors to decrypt an encryption key by which the secured message is signed using a local private encryption key.

5. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more executable instructions to authenticate and validate the secured message cause the one or more processors to validate a signature associated with an encryption key by which the secured message is signed using the retrieved key corresponding to the domain associated with the sending agent.

6. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 4, wherein the one or more executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to decrypt the secured message using the decrypted encryption key.

7. At least one computer-readable medium according to claim 1, wherein the one or more executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to decrypt an address of an intended recipient of the secured message.

8. A system, comprising:

means for receiving a secured message;

means for accessing a storage device to retrieve a public key corresponding to a sending agent of the secured message; and

means for authenticating the secured message using the retrieved public key.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the system is associated with a network domain.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the public key corresponds to a domain to which the sending agent of the secured message is associated.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the public key corresponds to a user on a domain to which the sending agent of the secured message is associated.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein the means for accessing is to access a domain name service (DNS) server corresponding to the sending agent.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein the means for authenticating is to validate a signature of the secured message using the retrieved public key corresponding to the sending agent of the secured message.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein the means for authenticating is to use an encryption key by which the message is secured, wherein further the encryption key is decrypted using a local private key.

15. A system according to claim 8, wherein the means for authenticating is to decrypt an encryption key by which the secured message is signed using a local private encryption key and, further, decrypt the secured message using the decrypted encryption key.

16. A storage device method, comprising:

receiving public keys associated with plural domains;

granting access to a public key associated with a first domain; and

granting access to a public key associated with a second domain.

17. A storage device method according to claim 16, wherein the storage device method is implemented by a domain name service (DNS) server.

18. A storage device method according to claim 16, wherein the storage device method is implemented by a domain name service (DNS) server that is not related to the first domain or the second domain.

19. A storage device method according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the public keys is associated with a user on one of the plural domains.