Secure ID checking

• US 20080016370A1
• Filed: 05/21/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Assa Abloy AB
• Original Assignee: Corestreet, Ltd. (Assa Abloy AB)
• Inventors: Libin, Phil, Engberg, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/367 involving electronic purses or money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3672 initialising or reloading thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/082 using revocation of authorisation

Abstract

A cost-effective system that provides for the efficient protection of transmitted non-public attribute information may be used, for example, to control access to a secure area. Encryption of the attribute information may be performed using symmetric encryption techniques, such as XOR and/or stream cipher encryption. A centralized database that stores and transmits the encrypted attribute information may generate the encryption/decryption key based on selected information bytes, for example, as taken from a card inserted into a handheld device used at the secure area. The selected information to generate the encryption key stream may be varied on a periodic basis by the centralized database. Information as to which selected bytes are to be used for a particular access authorization request may be transmitted to the handheld unit or may be input through action of a user of the handheld unit, for example by entry of a PIN code.

Claims

1. A method for secure ID checking, comprising:

receiving attribute information, wherein at least a portion of said attribute information is encrypted attribute information;

identifying said encrypted attribute information in response to an access request initiated by a card;

generating a symmetric decryption key for said encrypted attribute information;

decrypting said encrypted attribute information to generate clear text attribute information;

displaying said clear text attribute information;

granting or denying access to a secure area based on said clear text attribute information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a symmetric decryption key includes using at least some information from said card.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said attribute information is received from a secure computer.

4. An apparatus for secure ID checking, comprising:

machine executable code for receiving attribute information, wherein at least a portion of said attribute information is encrypted attribute information;

machine executable code for identifying said encrypted attribute information in response to an access request initiated by a card;

machine executable code for generating a symmetric decryption key for said encrypted attribute information;

machine executable code for decrypting said encrypted attribute information to generate clear text attribute information;

machine executable code for displaying said clear text attribute information to enable granting or denying access to a secure area based on said clear text attribute information.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein generating a symmetric decryption key includes using at least some information from the card.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said attribute information is received from a secure computer.

7. A system for secure ID checking, comprising:

a database

an access control device coupled to the database and having a card reader device, wherein said access control device receives attribute information from said database, and wherein at least a portion of said attribute information is encrypted;

a decryption device coupled to said access control device, wherein said decryption device decrypts said encrypted attribute information received from said database, and wherein said decryption device uses a symmetric decryption key.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said symmetric decryption key is generated from information taken from a card read by said card reader device.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said database is a secure computer.