Secured cellular telephone communications system, method, and computer program product

• US 7,085,383 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2002
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cross, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US10/042,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 380/270, 380/247, 713/150
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0457 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply dynamic encryption, e.g. stream encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for stream encryption H04L9/065
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/033 of the user plane, e.g. user's traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A data processing system, method, and product are disclosed for securing cellular telephone transmissions utilizing a conventional cellular telephone. A conventional cellular telephone and a computer system are provided. The computer system is separate and apart from the conventional cellular telephone. The conventional cellular telephone is capable of receiving an input signal from an external microphone and then transmitting that input signal using cellular technology. The conventional cellular telephone is incapable of encrypting the input signal.

The computer system is coupled between the external microphone and the cellular telephone such that inputs into the external microphone are received first by the computer system. The computer system receives an input from the microphone, encrypts the input utilizing public key encryption, and passes the encrypted input to the cellular telephone. The cellular telephone then transmits the encrypted input using cellular technology. Thus, cellular telephone transmissions from the conventional cellular telephone are secured.

Claims

1. A method for securing cellular telephone transmissions utilizing a conventional cellular telephone, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a conventional cellular telephone, said conventional cellular telephone being incapable of independently encrypting or decrypting signals;

providing a computer system coupled between an external microphone and said conventional cellular telephone, wherein inputs into said conventional cellular telephone are received first by said computer system, said computer system being separate and apart from said conventional cellular telephone;

receiving, within said computer system, an input signal from said external microphone;

encrypting within said computer system, said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form an encrypted input signal;

passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to said conventional cellular telephone; and

transmitting said encrypted input signal utilizing said conventional cellular telephone, wherein cellular telephone transmissions from said conventional cellular telephone are secured.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal, said key pair including a public key and a private key.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving, within a Java application executing within said computer system, said input signal from said external microphone;

encrypting, utilizing said Java application, said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form the encrypted input signal; and

passing said encrypted input signal from said Java application to said conventional cellular telephone.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to a microphone port included in said conventional cellular telephone.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a second conventional cellular telephone, said second conventional cellular telephone being incapable of independently encrypting or decrypting signals;

providing a second computer system coupled between an external speaker and said second conventional cellular telephone, wherein outputs from said second conventional cellular telephone are received first by said second computer system before being output to said speaker, said second computer system being separate and apart from said second conventional cellular telephone;

receiving, within said second computer system, an encrypted output from a speaker port included within said second conventional cellular telephone;

decrypting, within said second computer system, said encrypted output utilizing public key encryption to form decrypted output; and

outputting said decrypted output from said second computer system to said external speaker.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal, said key pair including a public key and a private key.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

obtaining, by said second computer system, said private key of said computer system; and

decrypting said encrypted input signal utilizing said private key to form decrypted input.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of exchanging said private key between said computer system and said second computer system prior to transmission of cellular telephone signals.

11. A system for securing cellular telephone transmissions utilizing a conventional cellular telephone, comprising:

a conventional cellular telephone, said conventional cellular telephone being incapable of independently encrypting or decrypting signals;

a computer system coupled between an external microphone and said conventional cellular telephone, wherein inputs into said conventional cellular telephone are received first by said computer system, said computer system being separate and apart from said conventional cellular telephone;

said computer system capable of receiving an input signal from said microphone;

said computer system capable of encrypting said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form an encrypted input signal;

said computer system capable of passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to said conventional cellular telephone; and

said conventional cellular telephone capable of transmitting said encrypted input signal, wherein cellular telephone transmissions from said conventional cellular telephone are secured.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said computer system is capable of encrypting said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal said key pair including a public key and a private key.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said computer system is capable of encrypting said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein a Java application executing within said computer system receives said input signal from said microphone;

encrypts said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form the encrypted input signal; and

passes said encrypted input signal from said Java application to said conventional cellular telephone.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein said computer system is capable of passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to a microphone port included in said conventional cellular telephone.

16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a second conventional cellular telephone, said second conventional cellular telephone being incapable of independently encrypting or decrypting signals;

a second computer system coupled between an external speaker and said second conventional cellular telephone, wherein outputs from said second conventional cellular telephone are received first by said second computer system before being output to said speaker, said second computer system being separate and apart from said second conventional cellular telephone;

said second computer system capable of receiving an encrypted output from a speaker part included within said second conventional cellular telephone;

said second computer system capable of decrypting said encrypted output utilizing public key encryption to form decrypted output; and

said second computer system capable of outputting said decrypted output from said second computer system to said speaker.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said computer system is capable of encrypting said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal, said key pair including a public key and a private key.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said computer system is capable of encrypting said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

19. The system according to claim 18,

wherein said second computer system is capable of obtaining said private key of said computer system;

and

said second computer system is capable of decrypting said encrypted input signal utilizing said private key to form the encrypted input signal.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said computer system is capable of exchanging said private key between said computer system and said second computer system prior to transmission of cellular telephone signals.

21. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for securing a cellular telephone transmission utilizing a conventional cellular telephone, said computer program product including;

computer usable program code for first receiving inputs intended for the conventional cellular phone into a computer system coupled between an external microphone and the conventional cellular telephone, wherein the conventional cellular telephone is capable of encrypting or decrypting signals and wherein the computer system is separate and apart from the conventional cellular telephone;

computer usable program code for receiving, within said computer system, an input signal from said microphone;

computer usable program code for encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form an encrypted input signal;

computer usable program code for passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to said conventional cellular telephone; and

computer usable program code for transmitting said encrypted input signal utilizing said conventional cellular telephone, wherein cellular telephone transmissions from said conventional cellular telephone are secured.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising computer usable program code for encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal, said key pair including a public key and a private key.

23. The computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising computer usable program code for encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

24. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving, within a Java application executing within said computer system, said input signal from said microphone;

computer usable program code for encrypting, utilizing said Java application, said input signal utilizing public key encryption to form the encrypted input signal;

computer usable program code for passing said encrypted input signal from said Java application to said conventional cellular telephone.

25. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising computer usable program code for passing said encrypted input signal from said computer system to a microphone port included in said conventional cellular telephone.

26. The computer program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

computer usable code for receiving outputs from a second conventional cellular telephone at a second computer system, wherein outputs are received before being output to an external speaker between the second conventional cellular telephone and the second computer system, wherein the second conventional cellular telephone is incapable of independently encrypting or decrypting signal, and wherein the second computer system is separate and apart form the second conventional cellular telephone;

computer usable program code for receiving, within said second computer system, an encrypted output from a speaker port included within said second conventional cellular telephone;

computer usable program code for decrypting, within said second computer system, said encrypted output utilizing public key encryption to form a decrypted output; and

computer usable program code for outputting said decrypted output from said second computer system to said speaker.

27. The computer program product according to claim 26, further comprising computer usable program code for encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing a key pair to form the encrypted input signal, said key pair including a public key and a private key.

28. The computer program product according to claim 27, further comprising computer usable program code for encrypting, within said computer system, said input signal utilizing said public key to form the encrypted input signal.

29. The computer program product according to claim 28, further comprising:

computer usable program code for obtaining, by said second computer system, said private key of said computer system; and

computer usable program code for decrypting said encrypted input signal utilizing said private key to form the decrypted input signal.

30. The computer program product according to claim 29, further comprising computer usable program code for exchanging said private key between said computer system and said second computer system prior to transmission of cellular telephone signals.