Secret key transfer method which is highly secure and can restrict the damage caused when the secret key is leaked or decoded

• US 6,009,174 A
• Filed: 10/27/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tatebayashi, Makoto, Ohmori, Motoji, Kato, Takehisa, Hirayama, Koichi, Endoh, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KABAKOFF, STEPHEN ERIC
• Application Number:
  US08/957,910
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 380/1, 380/21, 380/43, 380/44, 380/46
• US Class Current: 380/277
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A transmission apparatus 100 includes a secret key storage unit 103 that stores three secret keys K1, K2 and K3, a secret key selection unit 104 that selects one secret key Ks from the secret keys, a message generation unit 106 for generating a message M used as a carrier for indicating a secret key, an encryption module 105 for generating a cryptogram Ca by encrypting the generated message M using the secret key Ks, an encryption module 107 for generating a cryptogram Cm by encrypting the message M using the message M itself as the secret key, and two transmission units 111 and 112 for transmitting the cryptograms Ca and Cm to the reception apparatus 200 to indicate the selected secret key Ks. The reception apparatus 200 includes a decryption module, such as 221, for generating decrypted data Mi by decrypting the cryptogram Ca using a secret key Ki out of the three secret keys, and a decryption module, such as 222, for generating decrypted data Mii by decrypting the cryptogram Cm using the decrypted data Mi, and authorizes that the secret key Ki has been selected when the decrypted data Mi matches the decrypted data Mii.

Claims

1. A secret key transfer technique, used in an encrypted communication system composed of a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus which perform encrypted communication using one secret key selected out of a plurality of secret keys, whereby the transmission apparatus informs the reception apparatus of the selected secret key,

the transmission apparatus comprising:

first secret key storing means for storing the plurality of secret keys;

secret key selecting means for selecting one secret key out of the plurality of secret keys stored in the first secret key storing means;

message generating means for generating a message;

first encrypting means for encrypting the message according to a first encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a first cryptogram;

second encrypting means for encrypting the message according to a second encryption algorithm using the message as an encryption key to produce a second cryptogram; and

transferring means for transferring the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram to the reception apparatus,

and the reception apparatus comprising;

second secret key storing means for storing the plurality of secret keys;

reception means for receiving the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram transferred from the transmission apparatus;

first decrypting means for decrypting the received first cryptogram according to a first decryption algorithm using one secret key selected from the plurality of secret keys as a decryption key to produce a first set of decrypted data, wherein the first decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the first encryption algorithm;

second decrypting means for decrypting the received second cryptogram according to a second decryption algorithm using the first set of decrypted data as a decryption key to produce a second set of decrypted data, wherein the second decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the second encryption algorithm;

judging means for judging whether the first set of decrypted data matches the second set of decrypted data and, when the sets of decrypted data match, for authorizing that the secret key used by the first decryption means is the secret key selected by the transmission apparatus; and

repetition control means for having a decryption by the first decrypting means, a decryption by the second decrypting means, and a judgement and an authorization by the judging means repeated for each of the plurality of secret keys in the second secret key storage means in order.

2. The secret key transfer technique of claim 1,

wherein the transmission apparatus further comprises:

cryptogram suitability confirming means for confirming that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable cryptograms which ensure that the authorization of the judging means in the reception apparatus is performed correctly, for allowing the transferring means to transfer the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram to the reception apparatus when the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are confirmed as suitable, and for having the message generating means generate a new message, the first encrypting means repeat encrypting and the second encrypting means repeat encrypting when the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not confirmed as suitable.

3. The secret key transfer technique of claim 2,

wherein the cryptogram suitability confirming means includes:

third decrypting means for successively reading one secret key at a time, aside from the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means, from the plurality of secret keys stored in the first secret key storing means and using the read secret key as a decryption key to decrypt the first cryptogram according to the first decryption algorithm to produce a third set of decrypted data;

first encrypting control means for controlling the second encrypting means to generate a third cryptogram by encrypting the third set of decrypted data according to the second encryption algorithm using the third set of decrypted data as an encryption key; and

comparing means for comparing the second cryptogram with a third cryptogram generated by the third decrypting means based on each read secret key, for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable when none of the third cryptograms matches the second cryptogram, and for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not suitable when at least one of the third cryptograms matches the second cryptogram.

4. The secret key transfer technique of claim 3,

wherein the transmission apparatus further comprises:

transfer data storing means for storing transfer data that is to be transferred to the reception apparatus; and

third encrypting means for encrypting the transfer data stored in the transfer data storing means according to a third encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a fourth cryptogram;

wherein the transferring means transfers the fourth cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram to the reception apparatus,

wherein the reception means of the reception apparatus receives the fourth cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram, and

wherein the reception apparatus further comprises;

fourth decrypting means for decrypting the fourth cryptogram according to a third decryption algorithm using the secret key authorized by the judging means to restore the transfer data, wherein the third decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the third encryption algorithm.

5. The secret key transfer technique of claim 2,

wherein the cryptogram suitability confirming means includes:

third decrypting means for successively reading one secret key at a time, aside from the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means, from the plurality of secret keys stored in the first secret key storing means and using the read secret key as a decryption key to decrypt the first cryptogram according to the first decryption algorithm to produce a third set of decrypted data;

fourth decrypting means for decrypting the second cryptogram according to the second decryption algorithm using the third set of decrypted data as a decryption key to produce a fourth set of decrypted data; and

comparing means for comparing the third set of decrypted data and the fourth set of decrypted data, for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable when the third set of decrypted data does not match the fourth set of decrypted data for any of the read secret keys, and for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not suitable when the third set of decrypted data matches the fourth set of decrypted data for at least one of the read secret keys.

6. The secret key transfer technique of claim 5,

wherein the transmission apparatus further comprises:

transfer data storing means for storing transfer data that is to be transferred to the reception apparatus; and

third encrypting means for encrypting the transfer data stored in the transfer data storing means according to a third encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a third cryptogram;

wherein the transferring means transfers the third cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram to the reception apparatus,

wherein the reception means of the reception apparatus receives the third cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram, and

wherein the reception apparatus further comprises;

fifth decrypting means for decrypting the third cryptogram according to a fifth decryption algorithm using the secret key authorized by the judging means to restore the transfer data, wherein the fifth decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the third encryption algorithm.

7. A transmission apparatus for use in an encrypted communication system composed of a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus which perform encrypted communication using one secret key selected out of a plurality of secret keys, with the transmission apparatus informing the reception apparatus of the selected secret key,

the transmission apparatus comprising:

secret key storing means for storing the plurality of secret keys;

secret key selecting means for selecting one secret key out of the plurality of secret keys that are stored in the secret key storing means;

message generating means for generating a message;

first encrypting means for encrypting the message according to a first encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a first cryptogram;

second encrypting means for encrypting the message according to a second encryption algorithm using the message as an encryption key to produce a second cryptogram; and

transferring means for transferring the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram to the reception apparatus.

8. The transmission apparatus of claim 7, wherein the transmission apparatus further comprises:

cryptogram suitability confirming means for confirming that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable cryptograms which ensure that an authorization in the reception apparatus is performed correctly, for allowing the transferring means to transfer the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram to the reception apparatus when the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are confirmed as suitable, and for having the message generating means generate a new message, the first encrypting means repeat encrypting and the second encrypting means repeat encrypting when the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not confirmed as suitable.

9. The transmission apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the cryptogram suitability confirming means includes:

first decrypting means for successively reading one secret key at a time, aside from the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means, from the plurality of secret keys stored in the secret key storing means and using the read secret key as a decryption key to decrypt the first cryptogram according to a first decryption algorithm to produce a first set of decrypted data, wherein the first decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the first encryption algorithm;

a first encrypting control means for controlling the second encrypting means to generate a third cryptogram by encrypting the third set of decrypted data according to the second encryption algorithm using the third set of decrypted data as an encryption key; and

a comparing means for comparing the second cryptogram with a third cryptogram generated based on each read secret key, for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable when none of the third cryptograms matches the second cryptogram, and for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not suitable when at least one of the third cryptograms matches the second cryptogram.

10. The transmission apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

transfer data storing means for storing transfer data that is to be transferred to the reception apparatus; and

third encrypting means for encrypting the transfer data stored in the transfer data storing means according to a third encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a fourth cryptogram;

wherein the transferring means transfers the fourth cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram to the reception apparatus.

11. The transmission apparatus of claim 8,

wherein the cryptogram suitability confirming means includes:

first decrypting means for successively reading one secret key at a time, aside from the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means, from the plurality of secret keys stored in the secret key storing means and using the read secret key as a decryption key to decrypt the first cryptogram according to a first decryption algorithm to produce a first set of decrypted data, wherein the first decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the first encryption algorithm;

second decrypting means for decrypting the second cryptogram according to a second decryption algorithm using the first set of decrypted data as a decryption key to produce a second set of decrypted data, wherein the second decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the second encryption algorithm; and

comparing means for comparing the first set of decrypted data and the second set of decrypted data, for for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are suitable when the first cryptogram does not match the second cryptogram for any of the read secret keys, and for judging that the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram are not suitable when the first cryptogram matches the second cryptogram for at least one of the read secret keys.

12. The transmission apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

transfer data storing means for storing transfer data that is to be transferred to the reception apparatus; and

third encrypting means for encrypting the transfer data stored in the transfer data storing means according to a third encryption algorithm using the secret key selected by the secret key selecting means as an encryption key to produce a third cryptogram;

wherein the transferring means transfers the third cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram to the reception apparatus.

13. A reception apparatus for use in an encrypted communication system composed of a transmission apparatus and a reception apparatus which perform encrypted communication using one secret key selected out of a plurality of secret keys, the reception apparatus receiving a first cryptogram and a second cryptogram from the transmission apparatus to indicate the selected secret key,

the reception apparatus comprising:

secret key storing means for storing the plurality of secret keys;

reception means for receiving the first cryptogram and the second cryptogram transferred from the transmission apparatus;

first decrypting means for decrypting the received first cryptogram according to a first decryption algorithm using one secret key selected from the plurality of secret keys as a decryption key to produce a first set of decrypted data, wherein the first decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of a first encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the first cryptogram;

second decrypting means for decrypting the received second cryptogram according to a second decryption algorithm using the first set of decrypted data as a decryption key to produce a second set of decrypted data, wherein the second decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of a second encryption algorithm that was used to encrypt the second cryptogram;

judging means for judging whether the first set of decrypted data matches the second set of decrypted data and, when the sets of decrypted data match, for authorizing that the secret key used by the first decryption means is a secret key selected by the transmission apparatus; and

repetition control means for having a decryption by the first decrypting means, a decryption by the second decrypting means, and a judging and an authorizing by the judging means repeated for each of the plurality of secret keys in the secret key storage means in order.

14. The reception apparatus of claim 13,

wherein the reception means receives a third cryptogram together with the first cryptogram and second cryptogram, the third cryptogram having been generated by the transmission apparatus encrypting transfer data according to a third encryption algorithm using the selected secret key as an encryption key,

the reception apparatus further comprising:

third decrypting means for decrypting the third cryptogram according to a third decryption algorithm using the secret key authorized by the judging means to restore the transfer data, wherein the third decryption algorithm is an inverse transformation of the third encryption algorithm.