Secure maintenance messaging in a digital communications network
First Claim
1. An apparatus for performing secure transmission of messages between a module and a device, comprising:
- means for receiving a security message, including a challenge, from a module;
means for determining a response based upon the challenge; and
a next challenge; and
means for transmitting the response and the next challenge to the module;
wherein the next challenge is generated by the device;
wherein the receiving means receives at least one authenticated security message from the module after transmitting the response and the next challenge; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an apparatus and method for performing secure messaging in a digital communications network, a module sends a registration message including an initial challenge and an identification of itself to the server. In response, the server sends a message, including a response to the module'"'"'s challenge and a challenge to the module from the server, to the module based on the value and service of the initial challenge. The module uses the validity of the server'"'"'s response to determine whether a transmitted message is authentic. A valid response corresponds to an authentic message. Alternatively, a server may initiate communications with a module. Once the initial communication is established, messaging typically continues for all transactions between the server and the module for one or more classes of transactions. The authentication process is repeated for each message.
48 Citations
52 Claims
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1. An apparatus for performing secure transmission of messages between a module and a device, comprising:
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means for receiving a security message, including a challenge, from a module;
means for determining a response based upon the challenge; and
a next challenge; and
means for transmitting the response and the next challenge to the module;
wherein the next challenge is generated by the device;
wherein the receiving means receives at least one authenticated security message from the module after transmitting the response and the next challenge; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. An apparatus for performing secure transmission of messages between a module and a device, comprising:
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means for transmitting a security message, including a challenge, to a device;
means for receiving a next security message, including a response based upon the challenge, from the device; and
means for determining a status of the next security message based upon the validity of the response;
wherein the transmitting means transmits at least one authenticated security message from the module after receiving the next security message; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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8. A system for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a device connected via a network, comprising:
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a device;
a module; and
an apparatus associated with the device for receiving and transmitting messages, the apparatus including means for receiving a security message, including a challenge, from the module;
means for determining a response based upon the challenge and a next challenge; and
means for transmitting the response and the next challenge to the module;
wherein the next challenge is generated by the device;
wherein the receiving means receives at least one authenticated security message from the module after transmitting the response and the next challenge; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a device connected via a network, comprising:
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a device;
a module; and
an apparatus associated with the module for receiving and transmitting messages, the apparatus including means for transmitting a security message, including a challenge, to the device;
means for receiving a next security message, including a response based upon the challenge, from the device; and
means for determining a status of the next security message based upon the validity of the response;
wherein the transmitting means transmits at least one authenticated security message from the module after receiving the next security message; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a device, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a security message, including a challenge, from a module;
determining a response based upon the challenge and generating a next challenge; and
transmitting to the module the response and the next challenge;
wherein the receiving means receives at least one authenticated security message from the module after transmitting the response and the next challenge; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a device, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a security message, including a challenge, to a device;
receiving a next security message, including a response based upon the challenge, from the device; and
determining a status of the next security message based upon the validity of the response;
wherein the transmitting means transmits at least one authenticated security message from the module after receiving the next security message; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method, the method including;
receiving a security message, which includes a challenge from a module, determining a response based upon the challenge and a next challenge; and
transmitting the response and the next challenge to the module;
wherein the next challenge is generated by a device and the device is capable of communicating with the module;
wherein receiving includes receiving at least one authenticated security message from the module after transmitting the response and the next challenge; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method, the method including;
transmitting a security message, including a challenge, to a device;
receiving a next security message, including a response based upon the challenge, from the device; and
determining a status of the next security message based upon whether the response is valid;
wherein the transmitting means transmits at least one authenticated security message from the module after receiving the next security message; and
wherein the authenticated security message includes a new challenge and at least one of an operation field and a message field. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A system for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a server connected via a network, comprising:
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a server; and
a module having a hardware interface capable of mutually authenticating maintenance messages sent to and received from the server;
wherein each maintenance message is authenticated by a challenge and a response sent by the module and server. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A system for performing secure transmission of a message between a module and a server connected via a network, comprising:
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a server;
a proxy agent capable of sending and receiving messages to and from the server; and
a module capable of sending and receiving maintenance messages to and from the proxy agent;
wherein each maintenance message is authenticated by a challenge and a response sent by the module and server. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification