METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROPAGATING ENCRYPTION KEYS BETWEEN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES

• US 20100303236A1
• Filed: 08/31/2007
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: France Brevets SAS
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ekberg, Jan-Erik, Laaksonen, Miika, Laine, Hannu Ensio
• Granted Patent: US 8,787,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3228 One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3242 involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A system for propagating encryption key information between wireless communication devices without the requirement of pairing each and every device. A wireless communication device may be paired with at least one device in a group of devices. When a secure link is established between these devices, a determination may be made as to whether encryption key information should be passed from one device to another. The additional encryption key information may allow a wireless communication device to create a secure link with other devices without having to first establish a trusted relationship (e.g., go through a pairing process) with the other devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a wireless link with an encountered device;

determining whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establishing a secure link with the device; and

receiving encryption key information from the trusted device for establishing a secure link with at least one other device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information to the trusted device before receiving the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device from the trusted device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a secure link with at least one of the other devices using the encryption key information.

7. A method, comprising:

establishing a wireless link with an encountered device;

determining whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establishing a secure link with the device;

determining if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted to the trusted device; and

if it is determined that the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted, transmitting the encryption key information to the trusted device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device was received through a trusted relationship with another device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be passed to the device is based on information provided by the trusted device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

13. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for receiving encryption key information, comprising:

a computer-readable program code configured to establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

a computer-readable program code configured to determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

a computer-readable program code configured to, if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device; and

a computer-readable program code configured to receive encryption key information from the trusted device for establishing a secure link with at least one other device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising providing information to the trusted device before receiving the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device from the trusted device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising establishing a secure link with at least one of the other devices using the encryption key information.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium for propagating encryption key information, comprising:

a computer-readable program code configured to establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

a computer-readable program code configured to determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

a computer-readable program code configured to, if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device;

a computer-readable program code configured to determine if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted to the trusted device; and

a computer-readable program code configured to, if it is determined that the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted, transmitting the encryption key information to the trusted device.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device was received through a trusted relationship with another device.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein determining if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be passed to the device is based on information provided by the trusted device.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

25. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more communication modules for supporting communication in at least one wireless communication medium; and

at least one processor coupled to the one or more communication modules, the processor being configured to;

establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device; and

receive encryption key information from the trusted device for establishing a secure link with at least one other device.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to establish a secure link with at least one of the other devices using the encryption key information.

30. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a wireless link with an encountered device;

means for determining whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

means for, if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establishing a secure link with the device; and

means for receiving encryption key information from the trusted device for establishing a secure link with at least one other device.

31. A chipset, comprising:

one or more communication modules for supporting communication in at least one wireless communication medium; and

at least one processing module coupled to the one or more communication modules, the processor being configured to;

establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device; and

receive encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device from the trusted device.

32. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more communication modules for supporting communication in at least one wireless communication medium; and

at least one processor coupled to the one or more communication modules, the processor being configured to;

establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device;

determine if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted to the trusted device; and

if it is determined that the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted, transmitting the encryption key information to the trusted device.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the encryption key information includes at least one encryption key and related information.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the related information includes target device information identifying at least one device associated with the encryption key information.

35. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the related information further includes source device information.

36. An apparatus, comprising:

means for establishing a wireless link with an encountered device;

means for determining whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

means for, if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establishing a secure link with the device;

means for determining if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted to the trusted device; and

means for, if it is determined that the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted, transmitting the encryption key information to the trusted device.

37. A chipset, comprising:

one or more communication modules for supporting communication in at least one wireless communication medium; and

at least one processing module coupled to the one or more communication modules, the processor being configured to;

establish a wireless link with an encountered device;

determine whether a trusted relationship exists with the device;

if the device is determined to be a trusted device, establish a secure link with the device;

determine if encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted to the trusted device; and

if it is determined that the encryption key information for establishing a secure link with at least one other device should be transmitted, transmitting the encryption key information to the trusted device.