METHOD FOR FULFILLING A CRYPTOGRAPHIC REQUEST REQUIRING A VALUE OF A PRIVATE KEY

• US 20170295013A1
• Filed: 04/05/2017
• Published: 10/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ContactOffice Group SA
• Original Assignee: ContactOffice Group SA
• Inventors: CLAES, LUC
• Application Number:
  US15/479,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295013A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0822 using key encryption key
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0825 using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• 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 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key. Code portions are sent from a server to a computing unit running a web browser. The code portions are executed directly in the web browser in such a way that it automatically performs a cryptographic process including the steps of:

• • receiving a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key;
  • requesting an encrypted value of the private key;
  • receiving the encrypted value of the private key;
  • requesting an unlocking entity;
  • receiving the unlocking entity;
  • decrypting the encrypted value of the private key with the unlocking entity to obtain the value of the private key; and
  • fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key.

Claims

1. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key, comprising:

providing code portions to a computing unit running a web browser, the code portions being directly executable in the web browser to cause it to perform a cryptographic process including the steps of;

receiving a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key;

requesting an encrypted value of the private key;

receiving the encrypted value of the private key;

requesting an unlocking entity;

receiving the unlocking entity;

decrypting the encrypted value of the private key with the unlocking entity to obtain the value of the private key; and

fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key.

2. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the cryptographic request is a request for decryption of encrypted data, and further comprising:

providing code portions to the computing unit to cause the web browser to perform a step, before the step of fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key, of receiving encrypted data, and wherein the step of fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key comprises decrypting the encrypted data with the obtained value of the private key.

3. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the cryptographic request is a request for generation of a digital signature, and further comprising:

providing code portions to the computing unit to cause the web browser to perform a step, before the step of fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key, of receiving initial signature data, and wherein step the step of fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key comprises encrypting the initial signature data with the obtained value of the private key.

4. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the code portions comprise scripts in JavaScript language.

5. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the code portions are provided to the computing unit by one or several download steps of the code portions to the computing unit through the Internet.

6. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the step of requesting the encrypted value of the private key comprises sending a request for an encrypted value of the private key to a server;

and

wherein the step of receiving the encrypted value of the private key comprises receiving the encrypted value of the private key from the server.

7. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the unlocking entity is at least one of:

a password and a passphrase.

8. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the step of requesting the unlocking entity comprises sending a request for an unlocking entity through the computing unit running the web browser;

and

wherein the step of receiving the unlocking entity comprises receiving the unlocking entity through the computing unit.

9. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 1, wherein the cryptographic request is compliant with at least one of the following standards:

OpenPGP and X.509.

16. Method for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 4, wherein the code portions are scripts in JavaScript language.

10. System for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key, the system comprising:

at least one storage medium containing codes portions that can be downloaded to a computing unit able to run a web browser, the code portions being directly executable in the web browser and comprising;

first software code portions configured for receiving a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key;

second software code portions configured for requesting an encrypted value of the private key;

third software code portions configured for receiving the encrypted value of the private key;

fourth software code portions configured for requesting an unlocking entity;

fifth software code portions configured for receiving the unlocking entity;

sixth software code portions configured for decrypting the encrypted value of the private key with the unlocking entity to obtain the value of the private key; and

seventh software code portions configured for fulfilling the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key.

11. System for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key according to claim 10, further comprising:

a server connectable to the computing unit.

12. A computer program product for fulfilling a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having a set of code portions the codes portions embodied therewith comprising instructions being directly executable in a web browser by a processor and the set of code portions comprising;

first software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to receive a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key;

second software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to request an encrypted value of the private key;

third software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to receive the encrypted value of the private key;

fourth software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to request an unlocking entity;

fifth software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to receive the unlocking entity;

sixth software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to decrypt the encrypted value of the private key with the unlocking entity to obtain the value of the private key; and

seventh software code portions comprising instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to fulfill the cryptographic request using the obtained value of the private key.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the code portions comprise scripts in JavaScript language.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the code portions are scripts in JavaScript language.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the processor further cause the processor to

write, in Java language, Java code portions that cause a processor to receive a cryptographic request requiring a value of a private key;

and

compile said Java code portions into JavaScript language to generate at least part of said set of code portions.