Secure enclosure for key exchange

• US 7,065,655 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Jakobsson, Bjorn Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Parthasarathy, Pramila
• Application Number:
  US09/717,513
• Time in Patent Office: 2,037 Days
• Field of Search: 713/171, 713/168, 713/194, 235/380, 235/382, 380/283, 380/271, 455/411, 340/550, 361816-818, 324/156, 324/627, 324/628
• US Class Current: 713/194
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• 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

Abstract

A method is disclosed comprising placing a first device in an enclosure, placing a second device in the enclosure, sealing the enclosure, and after sealing the enclosure, causing the first device to exchange a key with the second device. After the key exchange, the first and second devices can be taken out of the enclosure and can use the key to communicate with each other securely and in an authenticated manner. The devices may be electronic devices or optical devices. The enclosure prevents electromagnetic radiation of a certain bandwidth from escaping and thus prevents an adversarial device from eavesdropping on communication between the first and second devices. The enclosure may include a filtering material such as a metal net. The enclosure may be, for example, a plastic bag or a glass container. The user may prepare two devices for a communication, such as a key exchange, by setting the two devices in a transfer mode, which may start the key exchange by a timer in one of the devices, then place them in the container, and seal the container. When the devices have finished the communication such as a key exchange, this fact may be signaled by sound or in some other manner by the devices. The container may have a separate compartment for each device and the compartments may be separated by a separation device such as a door comprised of filtering material. When both compartments are properly closed, the users may open the door allowing the two devices to discover each other and communicate or exchange encryption keys. The container may include a Bluetooth or other transmitter, connected to the outside world by means of cord device. The cord device may plug into a device outside of the container with which a key exchange is desired. A portable device is also disclosed in the form of for example, a floppy disc or a PCMCIA card.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

placing a first device in an enclosure;

placing a second device in the enclosure; and

the enclosure is comprised of a first and second compartment, wherein the first and second compartment are separated by a separation device; and

placing the first device in the first compartment and the second device in the second compartment;

sealing the enclosure while the first device and the second device are in the enclosure;

causing the first device to exchange a key with the second device while the first device and the second device are in the enclosure and while the enclosure is sealed;

removing the first device and the second device from the enclosure after the key exchange; and

using the key to allow the first device and the second device to communicate with each other using methods of encryption;

wherein the enclosure is coated with a filtering material, wherein the filtering material of the enclosure prevents electromagnetic radiation of a particular bandwidth from escaping from the enclosure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein using the key to allow the first device and the second device to communicate with each other using methods of authentication outside the enclosure.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

the first device is electronic;

and

the second device is electronic.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the enclosure is a plastic bag coated with the filtering material.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein

the filtering material is comprised of metal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the enclosure is a container having sides comprised of the filtering material.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein

the filtering material is comprised of metal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein

the enclosure is comprised of glass and the filtering material is attached to the glass.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein

the enclosure is comprised of plastic and the filtering material is attached to the plastic.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein

the separation device when closed prevents the first device from communicating with the second device;

and

the separation device when opened allows the first device to communicate with the second device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein

the separation device is comprised of a door which can be opened after the enclosure is sealed.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein

the separation device is comprised of a filtering material.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein

a timer causes the first device to exchange the key with the second device while the first device and the second device are in the enclosure and while the enclosure is sealed.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein

the first device emits a sound after the first device successfully exchanges the key with the second device.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein

the first device vibrates after the first device successfully exchanges the key with the second device.

13. A method comprising steps of:

placing a first device into an enclosure;

connecting the first device to a transmitter, wherein the transmitter is connected to a first end of a cord device the first end of the cord device being inside the enclosure;

sealing the enclosure while the first device is in the enclosure and while the first device is connected to the transmitter;

wherein the cord device has a second end which is outside the enclosure; and

wherein the method further comprised of connecting a second device which lies outside the enclosure, to the second end of the cord device; and

after connecting the first device to the first end of the cord device and after connecting the second device to the second end of the cord device, causing the first device to exchange a key with the second device while the first device is in the sealed enclosure;

removing the first device from the enclosure after the key exchange; and

using the key to allow the first device and the second device to communicate with each other using methods of encryption with the first device outside of the enclosure.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein

the cord device is comprised of an electrical cord.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein

the cord device is comprised of an optical cable.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein

the cord device is comprised of a radio transmitter.

17. The method of claim 13

wherein the transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter.

18. An apparatus comprising:

means for causing a first device to exchange a key with a second device; and

means for preventing a third device from determining a key which is exchanged between the first device and the second device, and

wherein the means for preventing the third device from determining the key is comprised of an enclosure having a filtering material;

wherein the enclosure is adapted to that it can completely surround both the first device and the second device in order to prevent the third device from determining the key.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the enclosure is adapted so that the first and second devices can be simultaneously placed into the enclosure and the enclosure can be sealed.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the first and second devices exchange the key in a wireless manner.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the means for causing a first device to exchange a key with a second device includes a timer.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising

a button that is located on the first device;

and

wherein the button can be pressed to cause the first device to exchange the key with the second device while the first device and the second device are in the enclosure and while the enclosure is sealed.

26. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the first device emits a sound after the first device successfully exchanges the key with the second device.

27. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein

the first device vibrates after the first device successfully exchanges the key with the second device.