Method for ensuring data transmission security, communication system and communication device

• US 7,995,760 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nyberg, Kaisa, Niemi, Valtteri
• Primary Examiner(s): Gergiso; Techane
• Application Number:
  US10/164,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,352 Days
• Field of Search: 380/277, 380/273, 713/171
• US Class Current: 380/273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for ensuring data transmission security between a first and a second communication device in short-range wireless communication. To set up a secure data transmission connection, the communication devices conduct a key exchange stage to generate at least one shared key between the communication devices. After said key exchange stage at least a first and a second check string is formed, said strings being based at least on a unique short random string and on the keys generated in each communication device at said key exchange stage. Thus, the security of the connection that is set up is ensured by comparing the correspondence of said check strings. The invention also relates to a communication system and a communication device, in which the method will be applied.

Claims

1. A system for checking that earlier derived encryption keys, a first encryption key in a first device and a second encryption key in a second device, are the same, comprising:

a first device and a second device;

the first device comprising;

a first control block and a first communication block;

the second device comprising;

a second control block and a second communication block;

wherein said first communication block and said second communication block are configured to establish a connection between said first and second devices;

wherein said first control block is configured to;

generate a random string,

calculate a first check string based at least partly on said random string and said first encryption key, and

display said random string and said first check string;

wherein said second control block is configured to;

receive said random string and said first check string,

calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and said second encryption key, and

compare the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same, and

indicate the result of the comparison.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein a user reads said random string and said first check string from said first device, and enters said random string and said first check string to the input module of said second device.

3. A method for checking that earlier derived first encryption key in a first device and a second encryption key in a second device are the same, the method comprising:

generating, by the first device, a random string,

calculating, by the first device, a first check string based at least partly on said random string and said first encryption key, and

displaying, by the first device, said random string and said first check string;

wherein said random string is for enabling the second device to calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and said second encryption key;

wherein said first check string is for comparing the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising transmitting said random string to said second device.

5. A method for checking that earlier derived encryption keys, a first encryption key in a first device and a second encryption key in a second device, are the same, comprising:

receiving, by the second device, a random string and a first check string,

calculating, by the second device, a second check string based at least partly on said random string and said second encryption key, and

comparing, by the second device, the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same, and

indicating, by the second device, the result of the comparison.

6. A system for checking that earlier derived encryption keys, a first encryption key in a first device and a second encryption key in a second device, are the same, comprising:

a first device and a second device;

the first device comprising;

a first control block and a first communication block;

the second device comprising;

a second control block and a second communication block;

wherein said first communication block and said second communication block are configured to establish a connection between said first and second devices;

wherein said first control block is configured to;

generate a random string,

calculate a first check string based at least partly on said random string and said first encryption key,

display said random string and said first check string, and

transmit said random string to said second device;

wherein said second control block is configured to;

receive said random string,

calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and said second encryption key, and

display said second check string.

7. A method for checking that earlier derived encryption keys, a first encryption key in a first device and a second encryption key in a second device, are the same, comprising:

receiving, by the second device, a random string,

calculating, by the second device, a second check string based at least partly on said random string and said second encryption key, and

displaying, by the second device, said second check string;

wherein said random string is for enabling the first device to calculate a first check string based at least partly on said random string and said first encryption key;

wherein said second check string is for comparing the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same.

8. A device comprising:

a memory;

a processing device configured to generate a random string, and to calculate a first check string based at least partly on said random string and a first encryption key; and

a display configured to display said random string and said first check string;

wherein said random string is for enabling a second device to calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and a second encryption key; and

wherein the processing device is further configured to compare the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said processor is configured to derive said first encryption key.

10. The device according to claim 8, further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit said first check string.

11. The device according to claim 8, comprising an input module for inputting the result of the comparison.

12. A device comprising:

a memory;

a receiver configured to receive a random string and a first check string calculated in a first device based at least partly on the random string and a first encryption key; and

a processing device configured to;

calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and a second encryption key,

compare the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same, and

indicate the result of the comparison.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to derive said second encryption key.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein said processor is configured to perform the comparison.

15. The device according to claim 12, comprising an input for inputting said random string.

16. The device according to claim 12, comprising a display to indicate the result of the comparison at least when the first check string and the second check string do not correspond to each other.

17. The device according to claim 12, a transmitter configured to report the result of the comparison to said first device.

18. The device according to claim 12, comprising a display to display said random string and said second check string.

19. The device according to claim 12, comprising an input module for inputting the result of the comparison.

20. A device comprising:

a memory;

a receiver configured to receive a random string,

a processing device configured to calculate a second check string based at least partly on said random string and a second encryption key; and

a display configured to display the second check string; and

wherein said second check string is for comparing the correspondence of said first and second check strings to verify that said first encryption key and said second encryption key are the same.

21. The device according to claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to perform the comparison.

22. The device according to claim 20, wherein said receiver is configured to receive said first check string.

23. The device according to claim 20, further comprising an input for inputting said random string.

24. The device according to claim 20, wherein the display is further configured to indicate the result of the comparison at least when the first check string and the second check string do not correspond to each other.

25. The device according to claim 20, further comprising a transmitter configured to report the result of the comparison to said first device.

26. The device according to claim 20, wherein the display is further configured to display said random string.

27. The device according to claim 20, comprising an input module for inputting the result of the comparison.