ENCRYPTION BRIDGE SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION THEREOF

• US 20160259736A1
• Filed: 03/11/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Original Assignee: ClevX LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Simon B., Bolotin, Lev M.
• Application Number:
  US15/068,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20160259736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• 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 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1052 Security improvement
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/154 Networked environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• 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 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• 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 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A self-authenticating encryption bridge, and method of operation thereof, including: a user input module for remaining locked until a user has been authenticated; an encryption/decryption control module responsive to the user input module for encrypting or decrypting data when the user has been authenticated; a first communication channel for transferring encrypted data from a mass storage device to the encryption/decryption control module; and a second communication channel for transferring clear data to a computer from the encryption/decryption control module.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a self-authenticating encryption bridge comprising:

locking a user input module until a user has been authenticated;

encrypting or decrypting data in an encryption/decryption control module when the user has been authenticated in the user input module;

transferring encrypted data from a mass storage device to the encryption/decryption control module in a first communication channel; and

transferring clear data to a computer from the encryption/decryption control module in a second communication channel.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

not encrypting or decrypting data in the encryption/decryption control module when the user is unable to be authenticated in the user input module.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

containing an authentication parameter for authenticating the user inside of the self-authenticating encryption bridge; and

containing an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data in the encryption/decryption control module.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

containing a plurality of authentication parameters for authenticating a plurality of users inside of the self-authenticating encryption bridge; and

containing an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data in the encryption/decryption control module.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

containing an authentication parameter for authenticating the user inside of the self-authenticating encryption bridge; and

containing a plurality of encryption keys for providing a plurality of ways of encrypting and decrypting clear data in the encryption/decryption control module.

6. A method comprising:

locking a user input module until a user has been authenticated;

unlocking the user input module when the user has been authenticated;

allowing a mass storage device to become accessible to a computer when the user has been authenticated in the user input module and the user input module has been unlocked;

transferring encrypted data wirelessly or by wire to and from a mass storage device to and from the encryption/decryption control module in a first communication channel;

encrypting or decrypting data in the encryption/decryption control module when the user has been authenticated in the user input module and the user input module has been unlocked;

decrypting encrypted data to the computer from the mass storage device in the encryption/decryption control module when and the user input module has been unlocked and the mass storage device is accessible to the computer;

transferring clear data wirelessly or by wire to and from a computer to and from the encryption/decryption control module in a second communication channel; and

encrypting clear data from the computer to the mass storage device in the encryption/decryption control module when and the user input module has been unlocked and the mass storage device is accessible to the computer.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

not encrypting or decrypting data in the encryption/decryption control module when the user is unable to be wirelessly or by wire authenticated in the user input module and the user input module is locked.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

powering the user input module from the second communication channel; and

powering the encryption/decryption control module from the second communication channel.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

powering the user input module and the encryption/decryption control module from a power source in the self-authenticating encryption bridge.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:

containing a plurality of authentication parameters for authenticating a plurality of users in the self-authenticating encryption bridge; and

containing an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data in the encryption/decryption control module.

11. A self-authenticating encryption bridge comprising:

a user input module for remaining locked until a user has been authenticated;

an encryption/decryption control module responsive to the user input module for encrypting or decrypting data when the user has been authenticated;

a first communication channel for transferring encrypted data from a mass storage device to the encryption/decryption control module; and

a second communication channel for transferring clear data to a computer from the encryption/decryption control module.

12. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the encryption/decryption control module is responsive to the user input module for not encrypting or decrypting data when the user is unable to be authenticated.

13. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the self-authenticating encryption bridge contains an authentication parameter for authenticating the user; and

the encryption/decryption control module contains an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data.

14. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the self-authenticating encryption bridge contains a plurality of authentication parameters for authenticating a plurality of users; and

the encryption/decryption control module contains an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data.

15. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the self-authenticating encryption bridge contains an authentication parameter for authenticating the user; and

the encryption/decryption control module contains a plurality of encryption keys for providing a plurality of ways of encrypting and decrypting clear data.

16. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the encryption/decryption control module is responsive to the user input module for allowing the mass storage device to become accessible to the computer when the user has been authenticated;

the encryption/decryption control module is for encrypting clear data from the computer to the mass storage device when the mass storage device is accessible to the computer wirelessly or by wire over a first channel; and

the encryption/decryption control module is for encrypting or decrypting data to the computer from the mass storage device when the mass storage device is accessible to the computer wirelessly or by wire over a second channel.

17. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein:

the encryption/decryption control module is responsive to the user input module for not encrypting or decrypting data when the user is unable to be wirelessly or by wire authenticated.

18. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein:

the user input module is powered from the second communication channel; and

the encryption/decryption control module is powered from the second communication channel.

19. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 16 further comprising:

a power source in the self-authenticating encryption bridge for powering the user input module and the encryption/decryption control module.

20. The self-authenticating encryption bridge as claimed in claim 16 wherein:

the self-authenticating encryption bridge contains a plurality of authentication parameters for authenticating a plurality of users; and

the encryption/decryption control module contains an encryption key for encrypting and decrypting clear data.