NETWORK SECURITY FRAMEWORK FOR WIRELESS AIRCRAFT COMMUNICATION

• US 20190319786A1
• Filed: 06/07/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2018
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Das, Subhra Kanti, Sivaramasastry, Adishesha Chinknyakanhalli, Lynch, Michael A., Thupakula, Kiran
• Granted Patent: US 10,848,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 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 63/068 using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0819 Key transport or distribution, i.e. key establishment techniques where one party creates or otherwise obtains a secret value, and securely transfers it to the other(s) network architectures or network communication protocols for key distribution in a packet data network H04L63/062
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0833 involving conference or group key network architectures or network communication protocols for key management in group communication in a packet data network H04L63/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/009 specially adapted for networks, e.g. wireless sensor networks, ad-hoc networks, RFID networks or cloud networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/043 using a trusted network node as an anchor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/06 Airborne or Satellite Networks space-based or airborne stations H04B7/185

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention include techniques for implementing a network security framework for wireless aircraft communication, where the techniques include receiving a key index sequence over a first communication link, and transmitting a subset of the key index to one or more nodes. The techniques also include generating a random encryption key based at least in part on the subset of the key index sequence, encrypting data using the random encryption key, and transmitting the encrypted data over a second communication link.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a network security framework for wireless aircraft communication, comprising:

receiving a key index sequence over a first communication link;

transmitting a subset of the key index to one or more nodes;

generating a random encryption key based at least in part on the subset of the key index sequence;

encrypting data using the random encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted data over a second communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication link is a wired communication link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communication link is a wireless communication link.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an expiry of encryption keys; and

responsive to the detection, renewing the encryption keys for a particular wireless data controller.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a tampering of sensor nodes; and

responsive to the detection, transmitting new encryption key indices for each wireless data controller in a network.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the encryption keys and allocating the keys are based on a Fibonacci series.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing a key index matrix.

8. A system for implementing a network security framework for wireless aircraft communication, comprising:

a first node;

one or more second nodes, wherein the first node is connected to the one or more second nodes over a first communication link, wherein the first node transmits a key index sequence to the one or more second nodes; and

one or more third nodes, wherein the one or more second nodes are connected to the one or more third node over a second communication link, wherein the one or more second nodes transmits a subset of the key index sequence to the one or more third nodes to generate random encryption keys based at least in part on the subset of the key index sequence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the key index is transmitted sequentially to the one or more second nodes.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first communication link is a wired connection.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second communication link is a wireless connection.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the first node comprises a key index matrix for storing the key index sequence.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more second nodes and the one or more third nodes comprise encryption key generator modules for generating encryption keys from the key index sequence.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first node is an aircraft interface device comprising a key index renewal and revocation module to renew or revoke the key index sequence.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the first node is a network manager to aggregate received data and communicates with external systems.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more second nodes are wireless data controllers.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more third nodes are sensor nodes.

18. A device for implementing a network security framework for wireless aircraft communication, comprising:

a first interface configured to receive a first message from the aircraft interface device over a first communication link, wherein the first message includes a key index;

a second interface configured to transmit a second message to one or more sensors, wherein the second message includes a subset of the key index;

an encryption key generator module configured to generate an encryption key based on the second message and encrypt a message using the encryption key; and

transmitting encrypted messages over a second communication link.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the first interface is a wired interface and the second interface is a wireless interface.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein the first interface is configured to receive updated key indices based on detecting an expiry of an encryption key or tampering of any sensor node.