Dynamically adjustable software encryption

• US 6,931,130 B1
• Filed: 10/07/1999
• Issued: 08/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Verburg, Richard Lee, Kraft, George IV
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul E
• Application Number:
  US09/414,333
• Time in Patent Office: 2,140 Days
• Field of Search: 380/258, 380/270, 380/59, 713/154, 713/162, 455/428, 455/429
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for dynamically adjusting the encryption level based on the geographic location of a software program are disclosed. The method includes an initial step of determining a geographic location associated with the software program. An encryption level is selected based upon the determined geographic location. The software program is then executed utilizing the selected encryption level. In one embodiment, determining the geographic location is achieved by determining the geographic location of a computer system on which the software program will be executed, preferably through the use of a Global Positioning System. The Global Positioning System may comprise an I/O device of the computer system on which the software executes. In one embodiment, the selected encryption level may be overridden by a Smart Card or other secure device connected to the computer system. In one embodiment, the available encryption levels include, at a minimum, a U.S. encryption level, a non-French European encryption level, and a French encryption level.

Claims

1. An encryption method, comprising:

determining a geographic location associated with a software program including receiving information from a Global Positioning System, wherein the Global Positioning System comprises an I/O device of a computer system on which the software will execute;

selecting an encryption level based upon the determined geographic location; and

executing the software program utilizing the selected encryption level.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining the geographic location of a computer system on which the software program will be executed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, overriding the selected encryption level responsive to receiving an encryption override signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encryption override signal is received from a Smart Card I/O device of a computer system OD which the software program will execute.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting an encryption level comprises selecting an encryption level from a set of encryption levels including at least a first encryption level corresponding to a first geographic location, a second encryption level corresponding to a second geographic location, and a third encryption level corresponding to a third geographic location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first encryption level comprises a 128-bit encryption level.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the third encryption level comprises a 40-bit encryption level.

8. A computer system, comprising:

a set of processors comprising at least one processor;

a system memory accessible to the set of processors via a host bus;

an host bridge coupled between the host bus and a PCI compliant I/O bus; and

a geographic locator adapted to communicate with the host bus via the I/O bus wherein the geographic locator comprises a PCI compliant Global Positioning System connected to the I/O bus;

wherein the system memory is configured with a set of instructions executable by the set of processors, the set of instructions comprising;

means for determining the geographic location of the computer system from the geographic locator;

means for selecting an encryption level based on the determined geographic location; and

means for utilizing the selected encryption level when executing the set of instructions.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the set of computer instruction further comprise, means for overriding the selected encryption level responsive to receiving an encryption override signal.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the encryption override signal is received from a Smart Card I/O device of the computer system.

11. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the means for selecting an encryption level comprises means for selecting an encryption level from a set of encryption levels including at least a first encryption level corresponding to a first geographic location, a second encryption level corresponding to a second European geographic location, and a third encryption level corresponding to a third geographic location.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the first encryption level comprises a 128-bit encryption level and the third encryption level comprises a 40-bit encryption level.

13. A computer program product, comprises a computer readable medium configured with a set of computer readable instructions, the set of instructions comprising:

means for determining a geographic location associated with a software program wherein the determining means comprises receiving information from a Global Positioning System and wherein the Global Positioning System comprises an I/O device of a computer system on which the software will execute

means for selecting an encryption level based upon the determined geographic location; and

means for executing the software program utilizing the selected encryption level.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein determining the geographic location comprises determining the geographic location of a computer system on which the software program will be executed.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising, overriding the elected encryption level responsive to receiving an encryption override signal.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the encryption override signal is received from a Smart Card I/O device of a computer system on which the software program will execute.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein selecting an encryption level comprises selecting an encryption level from a set of encryption levels including at least a first encryption level corresponding to a first geographic location, a second encryption level corresponding to a second European geographic location, and a third geographic location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first encryption level comprises a 128-bit encryption level and the third encryption level comprises a 40-bit encryption level.