METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AN ENCRYPTED MESSAGE EXCHANGE

• US 20100037050A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ECHOWORX Corporation
• Original Assignee: ECHOWORX Corporation
• Inventors: KARUL, CUNEYT
• Application Number:
  US12/187,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20100037050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/167
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

An apparatus and method for exchanging encrypted messages or data. According to an embodiment, messages are encrypted according to credentials associated with a user and the encrypted messages are stored in memory. The credentials are encrypted and stored in a key services module. To retrieve a message, the user logs onto to a server with a password, and the server retrieves the encrypted credentials associated with the user from the key services and applies the user password to decrypt or recover the encrypted credentials. If the credentials are successfully recovered, the server uses the decrypted credentials to decrypt the message and the decrypted message is made available to the user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for retrieving an encrypted message intended for a user, said apparatus comprising:

a server configured for encrypting a plurality of encrypted messages and said plurality of messages being encrypted according to credentials associated with the user, and the user having a password;

said server being configured to be responsive to a request from the user for retrieving one or more of said encrypted messages;

said server being configured to request the credentials associated with the user, and said credentials being transferred to said server in an encrypted form;

said server being configured to recover said credentials using the password of the user; and

said server being configured to decrypt said encrypted message using said recovered credentials and make the decrypted message available for the user.

2. A method for retrieving an encrypted message intended for a user and said message being stored in a memory device, said method comprising the steps of:

retrieving the encrypted message from the memory device;

requesting one or more credentials associated with the user and intended for decrypting the encrypted message;

decrypting said requested credentials based on a password associated with the user;

applying said decrypted credentials to decrypt the encrypted message;

making said decrypted message available to the user.

3. A method for exchanging an encrypted message to a recipient, said method comprising the steps of:

composing a message for the recipient;

encrypting the message according to credentials associated with the recipient;

storing the encrypted message in a memory device;

encrypting the credentials associated with the recipient with a user password; and

sending a notification to the intended recipient that a message intended for the recipient is waiting.

4. An apparatus for sending an encrypted message to a recipient, said apparatus comprising:

a server configured for composing a message and encrypting the message according to credentials associated with the recipient;

a memory for storing the encrypted message;

said server being configured for encrypting said credentials associated with the intended recipient based on a user password for the recipient; and

said server being configured to notify the recipient that an encrypted message intended for the recipient is waiting for retrieval from said memory.