A METHOD FOR PROVIDING SECURITY USING SECURE COMPUTATION

• US 20150349958A1
• Filed: 01/08/2014
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Coinbase IL RD Limited
• Original Assignee: BAR ILAN University
• Inventors: LINDELL, Yehuda
• Granted Patent: US 9,960,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/46 Secure multiparty computation, e.g. millionaire problem
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/085 Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• 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 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

A method of securing data, the method comprising: dividing a secret key into a plurality of secret key shares; storing each of the plurality of secret key shares in a different server of a plurality of servers so that none of the servers has access to the secret key and to the secret key share stored in another of the servers; using a server of the plurality of servers to execute a secure computation protocol to determine a value of a function responsive to all of the plurality of secret key shares without providing any of the plurality of servers with access to the secret key and to the secret key share stored in another of the servers; and using the calculated value of the function to secure the data.

Claims

1. A method of securing data, the method comprising:

dividing a secret key into a plurality of secret key shares;

storing each of the plurality of secret key shares in a different server of a plurality of servers so that none of the servers has access to the secret key and to the secret key share stored in another of the servers;

using a server of the plurality of servers to execute a secure computation protocol to determine a value of a function responsive to all of the plurality of secret key shares without providing any of the plurality of servers with access to the secret key and to the secret key share stored in another of the servers; and

using the calculated value of the function to secure the data.

2. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein the calculated value comprises an encryption of the data.

3. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein using the calculated value to secure the data comprises using the calculated value to determine whether or not a password received from a sender by at least one of the servers was generated using the secret key and enabling access by the sender to the data if and only if it was determined that the password was generated using the secret key.

4. The method of securing data according to claim 3 wherein the password comprises a onetime password (OTP) generated using the secret key.

5. The method of securing data according to claim 3 wherein the secret key comprises a static password generated using the secret key.

6. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein the secret key comprises a key used in a Kerberos protocol and the calculated value comprises an encryption of a ticket granting ticket (TGT) used by the protocol.

7. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein the secret key comprises a key used in a Kerberos protocol and the calculated value comprises an encryption of a service ticket (ST) used by the protocol.

8. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein the secret key comprises a feature vector representing a biometric feature.

9. The method of securing data according to claim 1 wherein the data comprises a feature vector representing a biometric feature.

10. A method of authenticating a party for participation in an activity, the method comprising:

dividing a first secret key into a plurality of secret key shares;

storing each of the plurality of secret key shares in a different server so that none of the servers has access to the secret key share stored in another of the servers;

transmitting a challenge to the party and requesting that the party encrypt the challenge using a second key;

receiving the encryption;

using a server of the plurality of servers to execute a secure computation protocol to determine a value of a function responsive to all of the plurality of secret key shares without providing any of the plurality of servers with access to the first secret key and to the secret key share stored in another of the servers;

using the calculated value and the encryption to determine whether the second key is equal to the first key; and

enabling the party to participate in the activity if and only if it was determined that the first and second keys are equal.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the activity comprises establishing a virtual private network communication channel.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the party comprises a communication device.

13. Apparatus for authenticating access to data, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of servers each having a different share of a same secret key;

a password generated responsive to the secret key which if presented to a server of the plurality of servers allows access to the data; and

an instruction set executable by a server of the plurality of servers to execute a secure computation protocol to determine responsive to all of the shares if a password received by a server was generated responsive to the secret key.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the password comprises a onetime password.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the password comprises a static password.