METHOD FOR SECURE E-MAIL EXCHANGE

• US 20160050184A1
• Filed: 07/30/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CompuGroup Medical SE
• Original Assignee: Compugroup Medical AG (CompuGroup Medical SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Ockenfels, Jan Marc
• Application Number:
  US14/813,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20160050184A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/06 Answer-back mechanisms or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• 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 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates

Abstract

The invention relates to a secure telecommunication method for communicating information in an e-mail between a telecommunication device of a first user and a telecommunication device of a second user. The method comprises the steps of:

• • Determining by the first user whether a public key of a first asymmetric key pair for encrypted e-mail exchange is assigned to the second user,
  • In response to determining, that no public key is assigned to the second user, creating a first dataset by encrypting the information by the telecommunication device of the first user using a symmetric key,
  • Transferring the first dataset to the second user using the e-mail, and storing the first dataset with the telecommunication device of the second user,
  • In response to receiving the first dataset by the telecommunication device of the second user, creating the first asymmetric key pair comprising the public key and a private key,
  • Providing the public key of the first asymmetric key pair to a telecommunication device of the first user,
  • Creating a second dataset by encrypting the symmetric key by a telecommunication device of the first user using the public key of the first asymmetric key pair,
  • Transferring the second dataset to the second user,
  • Decrypting the second dataset using the private key of the first asymmetric key pair by the telecommunication device of the second user, the decryption resulting in the symmetric key, and
  • Retrieving the first dataset and decrypting the first dataset using the symmetric key by the telecommunication device of the second user.

Claims

1. A secure telecommunication method for communicating information in an e-mail between a telecommunication device of a first user and a telecommunication device of a second user, the method comprising:

Determining by the first user whether a public key of a first asymmetric key pair for encrypted e-mail exchange is assigned to the second user,

In response to determining, that no public key is assigned to the second user, creating a first dataset by encrypting the information by the telecommunication device of the first user using a symmetric key,

Transferring the first dataset to the second user using the e-mail, and storing the first dataset with the telecommunication device of the second user,

In response to receiving the first dataset by the telecommunication device of the second user, creating the first asymmetric key pair comprising the public key and a private key,

Providing the public key of the first asymmetric key pair to a telecommunication device of the first user,

Creating a second dataset by encrypting the symmetric key by a telecommunication device of the first user using the public key of the first asymmetric key pair,

Transferring the second dataset to the second user,

Decrypting the second dataset using the private key of the first asymmetric key pair by the telecommunication device of the second user, the decryption resulting in the symmetric key,

Retrieving the first dataset and decrypting the first dataset using the symmetric key by the telecommunication device of the second user.

2. The telecommunication method of claim 1, wherein the symmetric key is a random key.

3. The telecommunication method of claim 1, wherein the second dataset is transferred to the second user via e-mail using the same e-mail address previously used for transferring the first dataset to the second user.

4. The telecommunication method of claim 1, wherein the e-mail used for transferring the first dataset further comprises a pointer in plain text, the pointer indicating that the second user requires an asymmetric key pair in order to read the information encrypted in the first dataset, the pointer comprising a web-address of a management entity the e-mail further comprising an invitation to register with the management entity.

5. The telecommunication method of claim 4, wherein the management entity comprises a storage medium, wherein in response to determining that no public key is assigned to the second user, the method further comprises at the management entity:

Receiving a first identifier of the second user from the first user,

Receiving a registration request from the second user, the registration request comprising a second identifier of the second user,

Comparing the first identifier of the second user received from the first user with the second identifier of the second user received from the second user,

In response to determining that the first identifier of the second user received from the first user is identical with the second identifier of the second user received from the second user, determining the public key of the second user, forwarding the public key of the second user to the first user and storing the public key associated with the identifier of the second user in the storage medium.

6. The telecommunication method of claim 5, wherein the identifier of the second user comprises the e-mail address of the second user the e-mail comprising the first dataset has been sent to.

7. The telecommunication method of claim 5, wherein, in order to determine whether a public key is assigned to the second user, the first user queries the management entity to provide the public key of the second user, wherein in response to receiving a query to provide the public key of the second user, the management entity determines whether the public key of the second user is stored in the storage medium and if the public key of the second user is stored in the storage medium, retrieves the public key of the second user from the storage medium and forwards the public key of the second user to the first user.

8. The telecommunication method of claim 7, wherein upon receiving a request to provide the public key of the second user from the first user, the method further comprises at the management entity:

Requesting the first user to provide an identifier,

In response to receiving the identifier from the first user, determining whether the identifier of the first user is stored in the storage medium,

In response to determining that the identifier is stored in the storage medium providing the first user with the public key of the second user, or

In response to determining that the identifier is not stored in the storage medium, rejecting the request of the first user.

9. The telecommunication method of claim 1, wherein a second asymmetric key pair is assigned to the first user, wherein the method further comprises signing the second dataset by the telecommunication device of the first user using the private key of the second asymmetric key pair, wherein the telecommunication device of the second user in response to receiving the second dataset verifies the signature of the second dataset using the public key of the second asymmetric key pair, wherein the telecommunication device of the second user rejects the second dataset if the signature cannot be verified.

10. The telecommunication method of claim 4, wherein the storage medium comprises storage areas, each storage area being assigned to an individual user, wherein each storage area is associated with a public key of the assigned user and/or an identifier of the assigned user and/or an identifier of a user invited to register with the management entity the method further comprising

In response to creating the first dataset by the telecommunication device of the first user, encrypting the symmetric key using the public key of the second asymmetric key pair,

Transmitting the encrypted symmetric key to the management entity, and

Storing the encrypted asymmetric key in the storage area assigned to the first user.

11. The telecommunication method of claim 10, wherein the reception of the public key of the second user by a telecommunication device of the first user automatically triggers the telecommunication device of the first user to:

Retrieve the encrypted symmetric key from the management entity,

Decrypt the retrieved encrypted symmetric key using the private key of the second asymmetric key pair,

Create the second dataset by encrypting the symmetric key using the public key of the first asymmetric key pair, and

Forward the second dataset to the telecommunication device of the second user.

12. The telecommunication method of claim 6, wherein, in order to determine whether a public key is assigned to the second user, the first user queries the management entity to provide the public key of the second user, wherein in response to receiving a query to provide the public key of the second user, the management entity determines whether the public key of the second user is stored in the storage medium and if the public key of the second user is stored in the storage medium, retrieves the public key of the second user from the storage medium and forwards the public key of the second user to the first user.