METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ESTABLISHING TRUST ON FIRST USE FOR CLOSE PROXIMITY COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20130343542A1
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Rosati, Anthony, Campagna, Matthew John, Zaverucha, Gregory Marc
• Application Number:
  US13/715,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20130343542A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• 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 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods and devices for establishing trust on first use for close proximity communications are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a public key from a device via a close proximity communications connection, obtaining, via a user interface, an indication that the device is trusted, and storing at least one of the public key or an identifier for the device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a public key from a device via a close proximity communications connection;

obtaining, via a user interface, an indication that the device is trusted; and

storing at least one of the public key or an identifier for the device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the public key from the device via a second close proximity communications connection with the device; and

obtaining a shared key based on the public key.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein obtaining the shared key is based on the identifier.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, further comprising obtaining verification that the identifier is trusted.

5. A method as defined in claim 2, further comprising, prior to obtaining the shared key based on the public key, verifying that the public key is trusted by performing a lookup of the public key in a storage.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein storing at least one of the public key or the identifier comprises storing the public key in association with the identifier.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising determining a shared key based on the public key in response to obtaining the indication.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising storing the shared key in association with the at least one of the public key or the identifier.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising obtaining the identifier via the user interface.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising obtaining the identifier via the close proximity communications connection.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

sending the at least one of the identifier or the public key to a server; and

receiving at least one of a second identifier or a second public key from the server, the at least one of the second identifier or the second public key corresponding to a second trusted device.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

storing a first counter value associated with at least one of the identifier, a shared key, or the public key;

receiving a second counter value from the device;

comparing the first and second counter values;

performing a data transaction using the shared key based on the comparison; and

storing the second counter value in association with the at least one of the identifier, the shared key, or the public key.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the close proximity communications connection comprises a near field communications connection.

14. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a close proximity communications module coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

obtain, via a user interface, an indication that a device is trusted; and

store at least one of a public key or an identifier for the device, the public key being received from the device via a close proximity communications connection with the device.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to obtain a shared key based on the public key, the public key being received from the device via a second close proximity communications connection with the device.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to obtain the shared key based on the identifier.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to obtain verification that the identifier is trusted.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to, prior to obtaining the shared key based on the public key, verify that the public key is trusted by performing a lookup of the public key in a storage.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein storing at least one of the public key or the identifier comprises storing the public key in association with the identifier.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to determine a shared key based on the public key in response to obtaining the indication.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to store a shared key in association with the at least one of the public key or the identifier.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to obtain the identifier via the user interface.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to obtain the identifier via the close proximity communications connection.

25. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to:

send the at least one of the identifier or the public key to a server; and

store at least one of a second identifier or a second public key received from the server, the at least one of the second identifier or the second public key corresponding to a second trusted device.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the instructions are to further cause the processor to:

store a first counter value associated with at least one of the identifier, a shared key, or the public key;

compare the first counter value with a second counter value received from the device;

perform a data transaction using the shared key based on the comparison; and

store the second counter value in association with the at least one of the identifier, the shared key, or the public key.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the close proximity communications connection comprises a near field communications connection.

28. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein the device comprises a mobile device.

29. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to at least:

access a public key received from a device via a close proximity communications connection;

obtain, via a user interface, an indication that the device is trusted; and

store at least one of the public key or an identifier for the device.

30-42. -42. (canceled)