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, the 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; and
selectively encrypting a data packet of the communication stream, the data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination, the selectively encrypting comprising;
encrypting the data packet with one or more public keys of one or more servers of the hosting network along a data path through which the data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; and
transmitting the encrypted data packet to a first server of the one or more servers of the hosting network;
wherein at least one data packet of the communication stream not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption.
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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.
58 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, the 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; and selectively encrypting a data packet of the communication stream, the data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination, the selectively encrypting comprising; encrypting the data packet with one or more public keys of one or more servers of the hosting network along a data path through which the data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; and transmitting the encrypted data packet to a first server of the one or more servers of the hosting network; wherein at least one data packet of the communication stream not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for providing secure communication for a virtual universe client of a virtual universe, the computer program product comprising:
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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 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; and selectively encrypting a data packet of the communication stream, the data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination, the selectively encrypting comprising; encrypting the data packet with one or more public keys of one or more servers of the hosting network along a data path through which the data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; and transmitting the encrypted data packet to a first server of the one or more servers of the hosting network; wherein at least one data packet of the communication stream not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 20)
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17. 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 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; and selectively encrypting a data packet of the communication stream, the data packet being sent by the virtual universe client to a destination, the selectively encrypting comprising; encrypting the data packet with one or more public keys of one or more servers of the hosting network along a data path through which the data packet is to be transmitted to the destination; and transmitting the encrypted data packet to a first server of the one or more servers of the hosting network; wherein at least one data packet of the communication stream not selected for encryption passes to the virtual universe absent encryption. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification