Method for securely exchanging data

• US 7,437,756 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH (Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Francotyp-Postalia GmbH (Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG)
• Inventors: Bleumer, Gerrit
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US10/794,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3, 726/4, 726/11, 726/6, 726/17
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00024 Physical or organizational aspects of franking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/0008 Communication details outside or between apparatus coin-freed apparatus for franking per se G07F17/26
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00137 In a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00741 using specific cryptographic algorithms or functions

Abstract

In a method and arrangement for securely exchanging data between a first data processing unit and a second data processing unit, a secure communication channel is established between the first data processing unit and the second data processing unit in a communication configuration step, and a first message is transmitted from the second data processing unit to the first data processing unit via the secure communication channel in a data transmission step. During the data transmission step, the second data processing unit generates a second message by appending a predetermined annex to the first message and a third message by encrypting the second message using a secret key that is available only in the first data processing unit and in the second data processing unit and then transmits the third message to the first data processing unit.

Claims

1. A method for securely exchanging data between a first data processing unit and a second data processing unit comprising:

establishing a secure communication channel between said first data processing unit and said second data processing unit;

making a first message available at said second data processing unit;

making a same predetermined message annex available at each of said first and second data processing units;

generating a second message in said second data processing unit by appending said predetermined message annex, that is available at said second data processing unit, to said first message,

generating a third message in said second data processing unit by encrypting said second message using a secret key that is available only in said first data processing unit and in said second data processing unit;

transmitting said third message to said first data processing unit via said secure communication channel;

decrypting said third message in said first data processing unit utilizing said secret key, and checking said second message as to integrity in an integrity check in said first data processing unit by isolating said annex from said second message and checking whether said annex matches the predetermined annex that is available at said first data processing unit;

generating a positive confirmation message and transmitting said confirmation message from said first data processing unit to said second data processing unit if the integrity of said second message is confirmed in said integrity check; and

generating a negative confirmation message and transmitting said negative confirmation message from said first data processing unit to said second data processing unit if the integrity of said second message is not confirmed in said integrity check.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising additionally and separately transmitting said first message, by itself, from said first data processing unit to said second data processing unit via said secure communication channel.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising repeating at least a part of said integrity check predetermined times.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising forming said annex as a part of said secret key, from the group consisting of a predetermined part, a selectable part of said secret key.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, comprising generating said secret key as a secret session key.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5, comprising generating said secret key by:

generating a first partial key in said first data processing unit and transmitting said first partial key to said second data processing unit;

generating a second partial key in said second data processing unit and transmitting said second partial key to said first data processing unit; and

generating said secret key from said first partial key and said second partial key in one of said first data processing unit and said second the processing unit, in accordance with a predetermined key generating algorithm, with said secret key embodying said first partial key and said second partial key.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising using said secret key as a temporary key for only a certain period of time.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising generating said positive conformation message as said first message.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising closing said secure communication channel with said second data processing unit after receipt of said positive confirmation message, and destroying said secret key is destroyed in said first data processing unit and in said second data processing unit.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

forming said first data processing unit from a first processing module and a security module connected to the processing module; and

decrypting said third message in said security module in said first data processing unit utilizing said secret key, and checking said second message as to integrity in an integrity check in said first data processing unit.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, comprising conducting at least one of said integrity check and generation of said confirmation message in said security module.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, comprising:

said processing module storing at least a part of said first message for further use in a memory connected to said processing module if the integrity of said second message is confirmed; and

at least one of said processing module and said security module switching into an error mode if the integrity of said second message is not confirmed.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein comprising forming said first message from first information and a digital signature by said second data processing unit on said first information.

14. An arrangement for securely exchanging data comprising:

a first data processing unit and a second data processing unit configured to establish a secure communication channel for message transmission between said second data processing unit and said first data processing unit;

each of said first and second data processing units having a memory in which a secret key is stored which is only in said first data processing unit and in said second data processing unit;

said second data processing unit having an information source from which a first message is available and said second data processing unit being configured to generate a second message by appending a predetermined annex to said first message, and to generate a third message by encrypting said second message using said secret key, and being configured to transmit said third message to said first data processing unit via said secure communication channel; and

said first data processing unit being configured to decrypt said third message utilizing said secret key and to conduct an integrity check of said second message by isolating said annex from said second message and checking whether said annex matches the predetermined annex that is available at said first data processing unit, generate and transmit a positive confirmation message to said second data processing unit if the integrity of said second message is confirmed, and generate and transmit a negative confirmation message to said second data processing unit if the integrity of said second message is not confirmed.

15. An arrangement according to claim 14 wherein said first processing unit is configured to repeat said integrity check at periodic times.

16. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said second data processing unit is configured to form said annex as a part of said secret key, selected from the group consisting of a predetermined part and a selectable part of said secret key.

17. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said secret key is a secret session key, and wherein one of said first data processing unit and said second data processing unit is configured to generate said secret key.

18. An arrangement according to claim 17, wherein, for generating said secret key:

said first data processing unit is configured to generate a first partial key and to transmit said first partial key to said second data processing unit;

said second data processing unit is configured to generate a second partial key and to transmit said second partial key to said first data processing unit; and

said one of said first data processing unit and said second data processing unit being configured to generate said secret key from said first partial key and said second partial key in accordance with a predetermined key generating algorithm by embodying said first key from said first partial key and said second partial key in said secret key.

19. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said first and second data processing units are each configured to employ a temporary key as said secret key, with a limited period of validity.

20. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said second data processing unit is configured to close said secure communication channel after receipt of said positive confirmation message, and wherein said first data processing unit and said second data processing unit for destroy said secret key after said secure communication channel is closed.

21. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said first data processing unit comprises a first processing module and a security module connected to said first processing module, said security module being configured to decrypt said third message.

22. An arrangement according to claim 21, wherein said security module is configured to conduct said integrity check of said second message.

23. An arrangement according to claim 14 comprising:

a memory connected to said processing module configured to store at least a part of said first message for further use, if the integrity of said second message is confirmed; and

at least one of said processing module and said security module being configured to switch into an error mode if the integrity of said second message is not confirmed.

24. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said second data processing unit is configured to generate a first digital signature on first information and to generate said first message from said first information and said first digital signature.

25. An arrangement according to claim 14, wherein said first data processing unit is a postage-metering machine.

26. An arrangement according to claim 14 wherein said second data processing unit is a data center remote from said first processing unit.

27. An arrangement as claimed in claim 14 wherein said second data processing unit is configured to additionally and separately transmit said first message by itself from said second data processing unit to said first data processing unit via said secure transmission channel.