METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SHARING ENCRYPTED CONTENT

• US 20130061035A1
• Filed: 03/08/2011
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lock Box Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Lock Box Pty Limited
• Inventors: Hook, David Geoffrey, Harvey, Richard Hans, Dettman, Peter Kai
• Application Number:
  US13/583,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20130061035A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of sharing encrypted content. In one form, the invention relates to multiple user access and management of encrypted content. In one particular aspect, the present invention is suitable for use in community controlled encryption of shared content using indirect keys.

The present invention relates to the use of encrypted intermediate key(s), such as an encrypted community key and/or workspace key. A changeable group of users is associated with a community key. Changeable set of content is associated with a workspace key. The present invention also uses permits in association with encrypted keys.

Claims

1. A method of enabling encryption and/or decryption of content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a first key adapted for use with the content;

providing a second key which defines a set of one or more additional keys;

encrypting and/or decrypting using the first key and the second key.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second key encrypts and/or decrypts the first key.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a third key adapted to define a first set of content.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

encrypting and/or decrypting using the third key and the second key.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a fourth key, adapted to define a second set of one or more users.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of

providing a fifth key adapted for use with a second set of content.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing the second key and/or a sixth key unique to at least one user.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the sixth key is used to encrypt and/or decrypt the second and/or fourth key.

26. A method of encrypting and/or decrypting content, the method comprising the steps of:

enabling the encryption in accordance with the method as claimed in claim 1.

35. A system as claimed in claim 31, adapted to enable the method as claimed in claim 1.

37. An application adapted to enable encryption and/or decryption of content, said application comprising a predetermined instruction set adapted to enable a method as claimed in claim 1.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

8-9. -9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13-16. -16. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. A method of enabling encryption and/or decryption of content, the method comprising the steps of:

a community key representing at least one user

a workspace key representing at least one content

performing encryption and/or decryption using the community and workspace keys.

21. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising enabling access to the community by providing each user with a user key, the community key being operable to encrypt and/or decrypt using the user key.

22. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising providing a workspace key representing access to a set of content, and providing at least one content in the set of content with an associated content key, the content key being operable to encrypt and/or decrypt using the workspace key.

25. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the workspace key being operable to encrypt and/or decrypt using the community key.

20. (canceled)

23-24. -24. (canceled)

27. A method of defining an association between at least one user and at least one encrypted content, the method comprising the steps of:

providing each user with a user key;

providing a user with a permit relative to the content, the permit comprising encrypted first and second keys.

28-30. -30. (canceled)

31. A system adapted to enable encryption and/or decryption of content, comprising:

a first key register adapted to associate a first key with content

a second key register adapted to associate a second key with one or more additional keys

an encryption engine adapted to encrypt and/or decrypt using the first key and the second key

33. A system as claimed in claim 31, further comprising:

a third key register adapted to associate a third key with a first set of content.

34. A system as claimed in claim 31,

further comprising an encryption engine adapted to encrypt and/or decrypt using the third key and the second key.

36. In combination a system as claimed in claim 31 and a content management system, a messaging system, a file management system, a systems management system and/or a collaboration system.

32. (canceled)

38-40. -40. (canceled)