Secure file transfer and secure file transfer protocol

• US 8,261,059 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Bryan, Sean P, Franklin, Paul G, Qualls, Kenneth J
• Primary Examiner(s): PYZOCHA, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US10/278,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,603 Days
• Field of Search: 713/153, 380/277
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819

Abstract

An encrypted file transfer system allows for the platform independent transfer of files and encrypting/decrypting in an integrated solution. Furthermore, the exchange of encryption keys can be handled through, for example, a secure socket connection between the client and a server thus removing the requirement of the user manually decrypting the transferred file(s).

Claims

1. An encrypted file transfer system comprising:

a user interface;

a secure server that at least stores one or more encrypted files; and

a decryption module,

where the user interface communicates with the secure server to download one or more identified encrypted files based on a user profile,

where the user profile includes an identification of the one or more identified encrypted files to be downloaded via the user interface, and

where the decryption module obtains a decryption key based on an identifier associated with the one or more identified encrypted files, and decrypts the one or more identified encrypted files.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the decryption module stores the one or more identified encrypted files.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user profile specifies at least one of a user, a download interval, or a download method.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a user logs in to the secure server based on a user identification and a password.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the decryption key is obtained via a secure socket layer (SSL) connection.

6. A method for encrypted file transfer comprising:

communicating with a secure server via a user interface device to download one or more identified encrypted files based on a user profile,

where the user profile includes an identification of the one or more identified encrypted files to be downloaded via the user interface device;

obtaining, from a server, a decryption key based on an identifier associated with the one or more identified encrypted files; and

decrypting, by the user interface device, the one or more identified encrypted files.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing the one or more identified encrypted files on a user computer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the user profile specifies at least one of a user a download interval, or a download method.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising logging on to the secure server based on a user identification and a password.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the decryption key is obtained via a secure socket layer (SSL) connection.

11. A method for encrypted file transfer comprising:

receiving, by one or more servers, a request to forward one or more stored files;

receiving, by the one or more servers, the one or more stored files and determining if a key is available for the one or more stored files;

obtaining, by the one or more servers, a new encryption key if the key is not available;

encrypting, by the one or more servers, the one or more stored files;

associating, by the one or more servers, a key identifier with the one or more encrypted files;

forwarding, by the one or more servers, the one or more encrypted files and the key identifier to at least one secure destination;

communicating with a secure server via a user interface device to download one or more of the one or more encrypted files based on a user profile,

where the user profile includes an identification of the one or more identified encrypted files to be downloaded via the user interface device;

obtaining, by the user interface device, a decryption key based on the key identifier associated with the one or more identified encrypted files; and

decrypting, by the user interface device, the one or more identified encrypted files.