Method and system for securely handling information between two information processing devices

• US 6,892,301 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Seliger, Frank, Hansmann, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Darrow, Justin T.
• Application Number:
  US09/398,876
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 713/150, 713/155, 713/156, 713/159, 713/168, 713171-173, 713/185, 713/186, 713/193
• US Class Current: 713/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/51 at application loading time, e.g. accepting, rejecting, starting or inhibiting executable software based on integrity or source reliability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2211/007 Encryption, En-/decode, En-/decipher, En-/decypher, Scramble, (De-)compress
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40975 using encryption therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

Described is a mechanism for securely handling an information unit by a first information processing device (2), for instance a terminal device like a chip card reader, which interoperates with a second secure information processing device (1), for instance a portable device like a chip card, whereby the information unit is provided by an issuer. The information unit is provided from the issuer to the first device and encrypted by using a first key. The first key is also encrypted by using a second key. The second key is provided on the second secure device (1) and interconnecting the first and the second device enables to decrypt the first key by using the second key and then to decrypt the information unit by using the first key.

Claims

1. A method for securely handling an information unit by a first information processing device (2) interoperating with a second secure information processing device (1), whereby the information unit is provided by an issuer, the method comprising the steps:

transmitting (3, 25, 35) the information unit, from the first issuer to the first information processing device (2), the information unit being processed by a cryptographic process;

providing at least one key for the cryptographic process on the second secure information processing device (1);

the first information processing device (i) receiving the at least one key from the second information processing device, and (ii) cryptographically reprocessing (29, 38) the information unit by using the at least one key;

providing (3, 25, 35) the information unit from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the information unit being encrypted by using at least a first key;

providing the first key from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the first key being encrypted by using at least a second key;

providing the at least one second key on the second secure information processing device (1); and

wherein at least a third key is provided for external authentication and/or release control of the respective information unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing (3, 25, 35) the information unit from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the information unit being signed by using a signature key;

providing the signature from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the signature being generated by using at least one key, providing the at least one key for signature verification on the second secure information processing device (1);

interconnecting the first information processing device (2) and the second secure information processing device (1);

transferring the at least one key for signature verification from the second secure information processing device to the first information processing device; and

verifying the signature of the information unit by using the at least one key.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first information processing device (2) provides a control command (26, 36) to the second secure information processing device (1) to initiate decryption of the at least first key by using the at least second key and/or to initiate transferring the signature key for signature verification from the second secure device to the first device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the encrypted information unit, the encrypted first key, and/or the signature key, and/or the generated signature, and/or the control command are downloaded (25, 35) from a central server (4).

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second key and/or the key for signature verification are/is securely stored on the second secure device (1) at time of its issuing by the issuer.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the at least first key and/or the signature key are/is randomized between different sessions of providing the information unit from the issuer to the first device (2).

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the decrypted at least first key is transferred to the first information processing device (2) and the information unit is decrypted (29) on side of the first device (2).

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first device (2) is initiated to gather a new release of the information unit from the issuer, depending on the respective status of the third key.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the new release of the information unit is downloaded from an internet server (4) provided by the issuer.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first information processing device (2) is a terminal device, and the second secure information processing device (1) is a portable device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the terminal device is a chip card reader and the portable device is a chip card.

12. A system for securely handling an information unit, comprising a first information processing device (2) interoperating with a second secure information processing device (1), the information unit being provided by an issuer, comprising:

the first device (2) comprising

a storage for storing the information unit, encrypted by using at least a first key, and a storage for storing the first key, encrypted by using at least a second key; and

the second secure device (1) comprising

a storage (6) for storing the at least one second key, and processing means for decrypting the at least first key by using the at least second key;

the first device further comprising (i) means for receiving the at least one key from the second information processing device, and (ii) means for decrypting the information unit by using the at least one key; and

wherein the first device (2) and/or the second secure device (1) comprises a storage (6) for storing at least a third key for external authentication and/or release control of the information unit and processing means (7) for processing the third key.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein

the first device (2) comprises

a storage for storing a signature for the information unit;

the second secure device (I) comprises

a storage (6) for storing at least one signature key;

providing means for verifying the signature of the information unit by using the at least one signature key.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the second secure device (1) comprises means to initiate decryption of the at least first key by using the at least second key and/or means to initiate transfer of the signature key for signature verification from the second secure device to the first device.

15. The system according to claim 12, wherein the second secure device (1) provides an access control by means of the information unit.

16. The system according to claim 12, wherein the second secure device (1) comprises a processor to make specific functions of the second secure device usable/accessible on the first device or on at least a third device (5) attached to the first device.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first device (2) comprises processing means for decrypting (29) the information unit by use of the decrypted at least first key.

18. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first device (2) comprises means to download the encrypted information unit, the encrypted first key, and/or the generated signature, and/or the control command, from a central server (4).

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the central server (4) comprises a randomizer for randomizing the at least first key and/or the signature between different sessions of providing the information unit from the issuer to the first device.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein the second secure device (1) comprises a non-erasable storage to store the second key and/or the signature key at time of its issuing.

21. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first device (2) comprises means to initiate download of a new release of the information unit, depending on the respective status of the third key.

22. The system according to claim 12, wherein the first information processing device (2) is a terminal device, and the second secure information processing device (1) is a portable device.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the terminal device is a chip card reader and the portable device is a chip card.

24. A chip card (1) for securely handling an information unit by interoperating with an information handling terminal device (2), comprising a storage (6) for storing an at least one key for a cryptographic process, and means for transmitting the at least one key to said handling terminal device to enable said device to cryptographically process an information unit received by said device from an issuer;

wherein a processor (7) runs specific functions on the terminal device (2, 5) or on at least a second device attached to the terminal device (2, 5);

further comprising means for transferring of at least one second key to the terminal device (2, 5) and/or means for decrypting of the at least first key by using the at least second key and/or means to initiate transfer of the signature key for signature verification;

wherein is non-erasble storage (6) stores the second key and/or the signature key at time of its issuing; and

further comprising a storage (6) for storing at least a third key external authentication and/or release control of the information unit and processing means (7) for processing the third key.

25. The chip card according to claim 24, wherein processing means (7) performing an access control is controlled by an information unit.

26. The chip card according to claim 24, wherein said processing means (7) initiates download of a new release of the information unit, depending on the respective status of the third key.

27. A chip card accepting device (2), for securely handling an information unit by interoperating with a chip card (1), comprising:

a storage for storing the information unit;

means for receiving at least one first key from a chip card,

means for cryptographically reprocessing the information unit by using the at least one first keys;

means for receiving at least one second key for decrypting the first key; and

a storage for storing at least a third key for external authentication and/or release control of the information unit and processing means for processing the third key.

28. The chip card accepting device according to claim 27, further comprising means for verifying a digital signature.

29. The chip card accepting device according to claim 27, further comprising:

means for decrypting the information unit by using at least one key,

means for verifying a digital signature; and

means for downloading the encrypted information unit, the at least one key and the digital signature from a central server (4).

30. The chip card accepting device according to claim 29, further comprising means to initiate download of a new release of the information unit, depending on the respective status of the third key.

31. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for securely handling an information unit by a first information processing device (2) interoperating with a second secure information processing device (1), whereby the information unit is provided by an issuer, said method steps comprising:

transmitting (3, 25, 35) the information unit, in an encrypted form, from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the information unit being processed by a cryptographic process;

providing at least one key for the cryptographic process on the second secure information processing device (1);

the first information processing device (i) receiving the at least one key from the second information processing device, and (ii) cryptographically reprocessing (29, 38) the information unit by using the at least one key;

providing (3, 25, 35) the information unit from the issuer to the first information

processing device (2), the information unit being encrypted by using at least a first key;

providing the first key from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the first key being encrypted by using at least a second key;

providing the at least one second key on the second secure information processing device (1); and

wherein at least a third key is provided for external authentication and/or release control of the respective information unit.

32. A program storage device according to claim 31, said method steps further comprising:

providing (3, 25, 35) the information unit from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the information unit being signed by using a signature key;

providing the signature from the issuer to the first information processing device (2), the signature being generated by using at least one key;

providing at least one key for signature verification on the second secure information processing device (1);

interconnecting the first information processing device (2) and the second secure information processing device (1);

transferring the at least one key for signature verification from the second secure information processing device to the first information processing device to the first information processing device; and

verifying the signature of the information unit by using the at least one key.