Creating and using secure communications channels for virtual universes
First Claim
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1. A method for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, said method comprising:
- monitoring a communication stream to and from the virtual universe client by a proxy component between the virtual universe client and a hosting network hosting the virtual universe, the communication stream comprising communication between avatars in the virtual universe, in which the virtual universe simulates one or more real world rules including at least one of gravity, topography, or locomotion, and in which users of the virtual universe interact with the simulated one or more real world rules thereof via the avatars, wherein the communication stream comprises at least one data packet selected for encryption and at least one data packet not selected for encryption, wherein the at least one data packet not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption;
selecting the at least one data packet of the communication stream for encryption, the selected data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination;
intercepting the selected data packet being sent by said virtual universe client, the intercepting comprising removing data from the selected data packet of the communication stream;
determining a network data path for transmission of the selected data packet, the network data path comprising a plurality of servers of the hosting network and through which the selected data packet is to be transmitted to the destination;
sequentially encrypting said data with public keys of the plurality of servers in said network data path;
injecting the sequentially encrypted data back into the selected data packet of the communication stream to form a sequentially encrypted data packet; and
transmitting said sequentially encrypted data packet to a first server of the plurality of servers.
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Abstract
A system and method provides secure channels for communication in a virtual universe by employing a packet interception layer for incoming and outgoing data packets. A data path is defined and is sequentially encrypted with the public keys of servers in the path. Decryption and identification of the next server occurs in a sequential manner in which the path is known only to the sender.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, said method comprising:
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monitoring a communication stream to and from the virtual universe client by a proxy component between the virtual universe client and a hosting network hosting the virtual universe, the communication stream comprising communication between avatars in the virtual universe, in which the virtual universe simulates one or more real world rules including at least one of gravity, topography, or locomotion, and in which users of the virtual universe interact with the simulated one or more real world rules thereof via the avatars, wherein the communication stream comprises at least one data packet selected for encryption and at least one data packet not selected for encryption, wherein the at least one data packet not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption; selecting the at least one data packet of the communication stream for encryption, the selected data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination; intercepting the selected data packet being sent by said virtual universe client, the intercepting comprising removing data from the selected data packet of the communication stream; determining a network data path for transmission of the selected data packet, the network data path comprising a plurality of servers of the hosting network and through which the selected data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; sequentially encrypting said data with public keys of the plurality of servers in said network data path; injecting the sequentially encrypted data back into the selected data packet of the communication stream to form a sequentially encrypted data packet; and transmitting said sequentially encrypted data packet to a first server of the plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for deploying an application providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe in a virtual universe environment, said method comprising:
providing between the virtual universe client and a hosting network hosting the virtual universe a computer infrastructure operable to; monitor a communication stream to and from the virtual universe client, the communication stream comprising communication between avatars in the virtual universe, in which the virtual universe simulates one or more real world rules including at least one of gravity, topography, or locomotion, and in which users of the virtual universe interact with the simulated one or more real world rules thereof via the avatars, wherein the communication stream comprises at least one data packet selected for encryption and at least one data packet not selected for encryption, wherein the at least one data packet not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption; select the at least one data packet of the communication stream for encryption, the selected data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination; intercept the selected data packet being sent by said virtual universe client, the intercepting comprising removing data from the selected data packet of the communication stream; determine a network data path for transmission of the selected data packet, the network data path comprising a plurality of servers of the hosting network and through which the selected data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; sequentially encrypt said data with public keys of the plurality of servers in said network data path; inject the sequentially encrypted data back into the selected data packet of the communication stream to form a sequentially encrypted data packet; and transmit said sequentially encrypted data packet to a first server of the plurality of servers.
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15. A computer program product for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:
a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processor and storing instructions for execution by the processor to perform a method comprising; monitoring a communication stream to and from the virtual universe client, the communication stream comprising communication between avatars in the virtual universe, in which the virtual universe simulates one or more real world rules including at least one of gravity, topography, or locomotion, and in which users of the virtual universe interact with the simulated one or more real world rules thereof via the avatars, wherein the communication stream comprises at least one data packet selected for encryption and at least one data packet not selected for encryption, wherein the at least one data packet not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption; selecting the at least one a data packet of the communication stream for encryption, the selected data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination; intercepting the selected data packet being sent by said virtual universe client, the intercepting comprising removing the data from the selected data packet of the communication stream; determining a network data path for transmission of the selected data packet, the network data path comprising a plurality of servers of the hosting network and through which the selected data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; sequentially encrypting said data with public keys of the plurality of servers in said network data path; injecting the sequentially encrypted data back into the selected data packet communication stream to form a sequentially encrypted data packet; and transmitting said sequentially encrypted data packet to a first server of the plurality of servers.
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16. A computer system for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, the computer system comprising:
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a memory; and a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform; monitoring a communication stream to and from the virtual universe client, the communication stream comprising communication between avatars in the virtual universe, in which the virtual universe simulates one or more real world rules including at least one of gravity, topography, or locomotion, and in which users of the virtual universe interact with the simulated one or more real world rules thereof via the avatars, wherein the communication stream comprises at least one data packet selected for encryption and at least one data packet not selected for encryption, wherein the at least one data packet not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption; selecting the at least one a data packet of the communication stream for encryption, the selected data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination; intercepting the selected data packet being sent by said virtual universe client, the intercepting comprising removing data from the selected data packet of the communication stream; determining a network data path for transmission of the selected data packet, the network data path comprising a plurality of servers of the hosting network and through which the selected data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; sequentially encrypting said data with public keys of the plurality of servers in said network data path; injecting the sequentially encrypted data back into the selected data packet of the communication stream to form a sequentially encrypted data packet; and transmitting said sequentially encrypted data packet to a first server of the plurality of servers.
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Specification