TUNABLE ENCRYPTION SYSTEM

• US 20100095127A1
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Punadikar, Sachin C., Banerjee, Dwip N., Patil, Sandeep Ramesh, Shankar, Ravi A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/179
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

A method, programmed medium and system are provided for enabling a user to choose a user-preferred encryption type from among a plurality of encryption types listed in a user'"'"'s Kerberos configuration file. During the ticket granting process in a Kerberos system, a user is requested to select a preferred encryption type to be used in the Kerberos communication from among encryption types contained in the user'"'"'s Kerberos configuration file. The user-selected encryption type is then implemented for use in encrypting a session ticket (as well as generating the session key of user requested encryption type) for use by the user machine in communicating securely with an Kerberized application server when being communicated by that particular user. Thus, the system allows different users to simultaneously communicate with the same Kerberized application server using a supported encryption type of the user'"'"'s own choice.

Claims

1. A method for processing a secure communication between a user machine and an application server, said method comprising:

enabling a user to choose a user-preferred encryption type from among a plurality of encryption types available to said user; and

using said user-preferred encryption type in encrypting a session ticket for use by said user machine in communicating securely with said application server.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said application server is a Kerberized application server.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is chosen from a Kerberized configuration file of said user.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is chosen from among a plurality of encryption types listed in said Kerberized configuration file of said user.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is implemented for use in encrypting a session key for said user.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is implemented for use in encrypting a session ticket for communication between said user machine and said Kerberized application server.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including a Kerberized server, said Kerberized server including a listing of encryption types available for selection by a plurality of users, said method further including enabling said plurality of users to use different ones of said encryption types simultaneously in different communication sessions.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said different communication sessions are between said plurality of users and a single application server.

9. A storage medium including machine readable coded indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said processing circuitry being operable to provide program signals representative of said machine readable coded indicia, said program signals being selectively operable for processing a secure communication between a user machine and an application server by effecting the steps of:

enabling a user to choose a user-preferred encryption type from among a plurality of encryption types available to said user; and

using said user-preferred encryption type in encrypting a session ticket for use by said user machine in communicating securely with said application server.

10. The medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said application server is a Kerberized application server.

11. The medium as set forth in claim 10 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is chosen from a Kerberized configuration file of said user.

12. The medium as set forth in claim 11 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is chosen from among a plurality of encryption types listed in said Kerberized configuration file of said user.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is implemented for use in encrypting a session key for said user.

14. The medium as set forth in claim 13 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is implemented for use in encrypting a session ticket for communication between said user machine and said Kerberized application server.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 9 and further including a Kerberized server, said Kerberized server including a listing of encryption types available for selection by a plurality of users, said processing further including enabling said plurality of users to use different ones of said encryption types simultaneously in different communication sessions.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 15 wherein said different communication sessions are between said plurality of users and a single application server.

17. A system for processing a secure communication between a user machine and an application server, said system comprising:

a user machine; and

a Kerberized server configured for coupling to said user machine, said system further including;

means for enabling a user to choose a user-preferred encryption type from among a plurality of encryption types available to said user; and

means for using said user-preferred encryption type in encrypting a session ticket for use by said user machine in communicating securely with said application server.

18. The system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said user-preferred encryption type is chosen from a Kerberized configuration file of said user.

19. The system as set forth in claim 18 wherein said Kerberized server includes a listing of encryption types available for selection by a plurality of users, said method further including enabling said plurality of users to use different ones of said encryption types simultaneously in different communication sessions.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein said different communication sessions are between said plurality of users and a single application server.