Encrypting message for secure transmission

• US 20070189534A1
• Filed: 12/15/2004
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary Graunke, Matthew Wood
• Original Assignee: Gary Graunke, Matthew Wood
• Inventors: Graunke, Gary, Wood, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,269 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/58 Random or pseudo-random number generators
• 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 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0662 with particular pseudorandom sequence generator

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are provided for enhancing entropy in a pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) using remote sources. According to one embodiment of the present invention, first, the PRNG'"'"'s internal state is initialized. Local seeding information is then obtained from a local host. For added security, additional seeding information is obtained from one or more remote entropy servers operating independently to each maintain a constantly updated state pool. Finally, the PRNG is stirred based upon the local seeding information, and the additional seeding information.

Claims

1. A method for communicating information between a host and a server in the absence of standard privacy protocols, comprising:

generating a temporary asymmetric key pair at the host, wherein the temporary asymmetric key pair includes a temporary public key and a corresponding temporary private key;

encrypting the temporary public key with the server'"'"'s public key;

sending the encrypted temporary public key from the host to the server;

decrypting the host'"'"'s temporary public key with the server'"'"'s private key at the server;

generating random data at the server;

encrypting the random data with the host'"'"'s temporary public key;

sending the encrypted random data from the server to the host;

decrypting the encrypted random data using the host'"'"'s temporary private key at the host; and

stirring a pseudo-random number generator of the host using the random data generated by the server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the public key comprises a published number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the private key comprises a secret number.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the host comprises a local host computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the server comprises a remote entropy server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pseudo-random number generator cryptographically generates pseudo-random numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the pseudo-random numbers comprise a stream of bits.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a host to communicate with a server in the absence of standard privacy protocols,

the host to

generate a temporary asymmetric key pair, wherein the temporary asymmetric key pair includes a temporary public key and a corresponding temporary private key,

encrypt the temporary public key with the server'"'"'s public key, and

send the encrypted temporary public key from the host to the server; and

the server, coupled with the host, to receive the temporary public key from the host, the server is further to

decrypt the host'"'"'s temporary public key with the server'"'"'s private key,

generate random data at the server,

encrypt the random data with the host'"'"'s temporary public key, and

send the encrypted random data to the host.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the host is further to

receive the encrypted random data from the server;

decrypt the encrypted random data using the host'"'"'s temporary private key; and

stir a pseudo-random number generator of the host using the random data generated by the server.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the public key comprises a published number.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the private key comprises a secret number.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the host comprises a local host computer system.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the server comprises a remote entropy server.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the pseudo-random number generator cryptographically generates pseudo-random numbers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the pseudo-random numbers comprise a stream of bits.

16. A system, comprising:

a host computer system (host) to communicate with a server computer system (server) in the absence of standard privacy protocols, the host having a local host computer, the host to

generate a temporary asymmetric key pair, wherein the temporary asymmetric key pair includes a temporary public key and a corresponding temporary private key,

encrypt the temporary public key with the server'"'"'s public key, and

send the encrypted temporary public key from the host to the server; and

the server, coupled with the host, the server having a remote entropy server to receive the temporary public key from the host, the server is further to decrypt the host'"'"'s temporary public key with the server'"'"'s private key,

generate random data at the server,

encrypt the random data with the host'"'"'s temporary public key, and

send the encrypted random data to the host.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the host is further to

receive the encrypted random data from the server;

decrypt the encrypted random data using the host'"'"'s temporary private key; and

stir a pseudo-random number generator of the host using the random data generated by the server.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the public key comprises a published number.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the private key comprises a secret number.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the pseudo-random number generator cryptographically generates pseudo-random numbers.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the pseudo-random numbers comprise a stream of bits.

22. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

generate a temporary asymmetric key pair at the host, wherein the temporary asymmetric key pair includes a temporary public key and a corresponding temporary private key;

encrypt the temporary public key with the server'"'"'s public key;

send the encrypted temporary public key from the host to the server;

decrypt the host'"'"'s temporary public key with the server'"'"'s private key at the server;

generate random data at the server;

encrypt the random data with the host'"'"'s temporary public key;

send the encrypted random data from the server to the host;

decrypt the encrypted random data using the host'"'"'s temporary private key at the host; and

stir a pseudo-random number generator of the host using the random data generated by the server.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the public key comprises a published number.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the private key comprises a secret number.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the host comprises a local host computer system.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the server comprises a remote entropy server.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the pseudo-random number generator cryptographically generates pseudo-random numbers.

28. The machine-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the pseudo-random numbers comprise a stream of bits.