Encryption communication system using an agent and a storage medium for storing that agent

• US 6,125,186 A
• Filed: 07/08/1997
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Takada, Yuji, Iida, Ichiro, Saito, Tamio, Tokuyo, Masanaga
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US08/893,546
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 380/48, 380/27, 380/9, 380/23, 380/25, 380/49, 380/274, 380/260, 380/287, 713/200, 713/150
• US Class Current: 380/287
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/068 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 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

An agent is permanently resident in a server as software for the purpose of cryptographic processing. In addition, another agent that is described in mobile code and contains a program for the purpose of cryptographic processing is also stored in the server. When data that are to be sent and received between the server and a client are encrypted, the agent that is described in mobile code is sent from the server to the client. When the client receives data that were encrypted in the server, it reproduces those data by decryption using the received agent.

Claims

1. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

transmitting, from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, the first agent including a program for cryptographic processing, a second agent having a function identical to a function of the first agent, to the second terminal;

performing encrypted communication between the first agent and the second agent; and

independently and synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication between the first and second agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

5. The encryption communication method according to claim 1,

wherein the programs for cryptographic processing included in the first and second agents use a pseudo random number.

6. The encryption communication method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

creating a seed for the pseudo random number in the first terminal;

setting the seed in the first and second agents;

generating the pseudo random number in accordance with the seed set in each of the first and second agents; and

executing the cryptographic processing using the pseudo random number generated in each of the first and second agents.

7. The encryption communication method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of changing the cryptographic processing at regular or irregular intervals.

8. The encryption communication method according to claim 5,

wherein a seed server which generates a seed for the pseudo random number is provided, and

wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

generating a seed for the pseudo random number in the seed server;

setting the seed in the first and second agents;

generating the pseudo random number in accordance with the set seed set in each of the first and second agents; and

executing the cryptographic processing using the pseudo random number generated in each of the first and second agents.

2. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data between first and second terminals, comprising:

transmitting to the second terminal from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, a second agent, the first and second agents each having identical functions and each including a plurality of cryptographic processing units;

performing encrypted communication between the first and second agents; and

synchronously changing the cryptographic processing units to be used between the first and second agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

9. The encryption communication method according to claim 2,

wherein each of the first and second agents has a function for creating a seed for a pseudo random number, the functions being the same as one another, and

wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

setting an identical initial value in each of the first and second agents;

creating a seed for a pseudo random number according to the initial value at each of the first and second agents; and

generating a pseudo random number in accordance with the seed and executing cryptographic processing using the seed in the first and second agents respectively.

3. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

transmitting to the second terminal from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, a second agent, each of the first and second agents including a plurality of cryptographic processing units;

performing encrypted communication between the first and second agents;

instructing which cryptographic processing unit is to be used from an encryption method selection server to each of the first and second agents; and

synchronously changing at each of the first and second agents the cryptographic processing units to be used in accordance with said instructing by the encryption method selection server.

4. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

transmitting to the second terminal from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, a second agent, each of the first and second agents having an identical function for determining the cryptographic processing unit to be used;

setting an identical initial value in each of the first and second agents;

determining a cryptographic processing unit to be used according to the initial value at each of the first and second agents;

performing encrypted communication between the first and second agents; and

changing the cryptographic processing units according to said determining at each of the first and second agents.

10. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data among a plurality of terminals, comprising:

distributing agents including a program for cryptographic processing from an agent distributing server to the plurality of terminals;

performing encrypted communication between the distributed agents; and

independently and synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication among distributed agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

11. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data among a plurality of terminals, comprising:

distributing agents from an agent distributing server to the plurality of terminals, each agent including a plurality of cryptographic processing units;

performing encrypted communication between distributed agents; and

independently and synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication among the distributed agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

12. An encryption communication method for transmitting data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

transmitting an agent including a program for cryptographic processing described in mobile code to the second terminal via a network;

performing encrypted communication between the first terminal in which a program for cryptographic processing is installed and the second terminal using the agent, the program for cryptographic processing in the first and second terminals having an identical function to generate pseudo random numbers; and

synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication between the first and second terminals according to the pseudo random numbers independently generated at each of the first and second terminals.

13. At least one storage medium storing at least one program that when executed causes at least one computer to perform cryptographic processing between first and second terminals, comprising:

transmitting to the second terminal from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, a second agent, the first agent including a program for cryptographic processing and the second agent having a function identical to a function of the first agent;

performing encrypted communication between the first and second agents; and

independently and synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication between the first and second agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

14. At least one storage medium storing at least one program that when executed causes at least one computer to transmit encrypted data among a plurality of terminals, comprising:

distributing agents including a program for cryptographic processing from an agent distributing server to the plurality of terminals;

performing encrypted communication between distributed agents; and

independently and synchronously changing a parameter needed for the encrypted communication among distributed agents while the encrypted communication is being performed.

15. An encryption communication method for transmitting encrypted data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising the steps of:

transmitting from the first terminal in which a first agent is installed, a second agent, the first and second agents providing a plurality of cryptographic processing units and having identical functions, including a function for creating a pseudo random number; and

performing an encryption communication between the first and second agents using the cryptographic processing units, the cryptographic processing units used by the first and second agents being synchronously changed according to the pseudo random numbers which are independently generated in each of the first and second agents.

16. An encrypted communication method for transmitting encrypted data between a first terminal and a second terminal, comprising:

installing in the first terminal a first agent including a program for cryptographic processing;

transmitting the first agent from the first terminal to the second terminal to form a second agent at the second terminal; and

performing encrypted communication between the first and second terminals via the first and second agents while independently and synchronously changing at the first and second terminals an encryption parameter used in the encrypted communication.

17. An encrypted communication method as recited in claim 16, wherein said performing comprises:

encrypting communication between the first and second terminals using an encryption key; and

synchronously changing the encryption key independently in the first and second agents according to a predetermined rule.

18. An encrypted communication method as recited in claim 16,

wherein said first agent includes a plurality of encryption methods

wherein said performing comprises:

synchronously and independently in the first and second agents selecting one of the encryption methods; and

encrypting communication between the first and second terminals using the selected encryption method.