CERTIFICATE INFORMATION STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20110271115A1
• Filed: 03/09/2011
• Published: 11/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kirkup, Michael G., Little, Herbert A., ADAMS, Neil P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,807,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263

Abstract

A system and method of storing in a computer device digital certificate data from a digital certificate are provided. When a digital certificate is received at the computer device, it is determined whether the digital certificate data in the digital certificate is stored in a first memory store in the computer device. The digital certificate data is stored in the first memory store upon determining that the digital certificate data is not stored in the first memory store.

Claims

1. A method at a communication device for flagging address book entries, the method comprising:

setting a secure message flag for an address book entry when digital certificate information associated with the address book entry is stored in a data store of the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

receiving the digital certificate information at the communication device;

determining whether the digital certificate information is stored in a data store in association with an address book entry; and

storing the digital certificate information in the data store in association with the address book entry if the digital certificate information is not stored in the data store in association with the address book entry; and

wherein said setting of the secure message flag is done consequent to the storing.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising creating the address book entry prior to the storing of the digital certificate information in the data store in association with the address book entry.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the secure message flag indicates that a corresponding digital certificate is stored for a contact of the address book entry.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the digital certificate information comprises a digital certificate.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising using the digital certificate to send secure messages to a contact of the address book entry.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising extracting the digital certificate information from a digital certificate.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising setting a default send flag, the default flag indicating that messages addressed to a contact for the address book entry are to be sent in a default manner.

9. A method at a communication device for sending a message, the method comprising:

obtaining a message addressed to a recipient;

checking a secure message flag of an address book entry associated with the recipient, the address book entry stored in an address book data store of the communication device, to determine whether a digital certificate associated with the recipient is stored in a data store; and

performing a security operation prior to sending the message when the secure message flag is set.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein if there is no secure message flag, performing the security operation comprises sending a request to a digital certificate provider for a digital certificate for the recipient.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the digital certificate;

storing the digital certificate in the data store; and

setting a secure message flag in the address book data store for the address book entry associated with the recipient.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising sending the message using digital certificate information from the digital certificate.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein if there is no secure message flag, performing the security operation comprises aborting the messaging operation or sending the message in the clear.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein if there is a secure message flag, performing the security operation comprises determining if a default send flag has been set.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein if the default send flag has been set, sending the message in accordance with the default send flag.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising setting a default send flag.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein if there is a secure messaging flag, performing the security operation comprises sending the message using a digital certificate stored in association with the recipient.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein if there is a secure messaging flag, performing the security operation comprises:

presenting options for sending the message;

receiving an input selecting one of the options; and

sending the message in accordance with the selected option.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein one of the options comprises sending the message using the digital certificate.

20. A computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed cause a processor to implement a method, the method comprising:

receiving the digital certificate information at a communication device;

determining whether the digital certificate information is stored in a data store in association with an address book entry;

storing the digital certificate information in the data store in association with the address book entry if the digital certificate information is not stored in the data store in association with the address book entry; and

setting a secure message flag in the address book entry.