Systems and methods for secure communication using a communication encryption bios based upon a message specific identifier

• US 8,938,074 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2012
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Patton Protection Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Patton Protection Systems LLC
• Inventors: Drucker, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LINGLAN E
• Application Number:
  US13/716,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20130124863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 380/44, 380277-279, 713/155, 713/160, 713/170
• US Class Current: 380/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

An apparatus and methods of securely communicating a message between a first device and a second device using a message specific identifier is disclosed. The method begins by assembling the message specific identifier from one or more attributes associated with the message and the first device. An encryption key request is transmitted to a server, wherein the encryption key request is based upon the message specific identifier. An encryption key is received from the server, wherein the encryption key is based on the message specific identifier and a random character set. The message is encrypted using the received encryption key and the encrypted message is sent to the second device.

Claims

1. A method of securely communicating a message between a first device and a second device using a message specific identifier, comprising the steps of:

assembling the message specific identifier from one or more attributes associated with the message and the first device;

transmitting an encryption key request to a server, wherein the encryption key request is based upon the message specific identifier;

receiving an encryption key from the server, wherein the encryption key is based on the message specific identifier and a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets, wherein each of the random character sets being referenced by a corresponding unique random character set identifier;

encrypting the message using the received encryption key;

destroying the encryption key and providing the message specific identifier and the encrypted message to a messaging application operating on the first device; and

sending the encrypted message to the second device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more attributes include at least one from the group comprising a hardware address associated with the first device, a sender address, a recipient address, a chronological attribute, a user ID attribute, a password attribute, and a processing unit component ID attribute.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the hardware address is a media access control address.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the chronological attribute is at least one of a time stamp, date stamp and a time/date stamp.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the user ID attribute is based at least in part on one from a group comprising biometric, numeric, alphabetic, and alphanumeric data.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the password attribute is based at least in part on one from a group comprising biometric, numeric, alphabetic, and alphanumeric data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assembling the message specific identifier from the one or more attributes comprises creating a hash of the attributes to form an information-based indicator that is unique with respect to the message and the first device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the encryption key from the server, wherein the encryption key is the only key generated by the server based on the message specific identifier and a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets.

9. An apparatus for securely communicating a message between a plurality of devices using a message specific identifier, comprising:

a processing unit within a first of the devices;

volatile memory coupled to the processing unit;

a data communication interface coupled to the processing unit and in operative communication with a server external to the first device;

a memory storage coupled to the processor, the memory storage maintaining a messaging application and a secure sending module; and

wherein, the processing unit is operatively configured, when executing the secure sending module, to

assemble the message specific identifier from one or more attributes associated with the message and the first device as a sender of the message,

cause the data communication interface to transmit an encryption key request to the server, wherein the encryption key request is based upon the message specific identifier,

receive an encryption key from the server via the data communication interface, wherein the encryption key is based on the message specific identifier, a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets, and a selected one of a plurality of encryption key construction paradigms, said plurality of encryption key construction paradigms resident on the server, wherein each of the random character sets being referenced by a corresponding unique random character set identifier,

encrypt the message using the received encryption key,

destroy the encryption key and provide the message specific identifier and the encrypted message to the messaging application, and

cause the encrypted message to be transmitted to one of the devices associated with the recipient address.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the one or more attributes associated with the message specific identifier include at least one from the group comprising a hardware address associated with the first device, a sender address, a recipient address, a chronological attribute, a user ID attribute, a password attribute, and a processing unit component ID attribute.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the message specific identifier is an information-based indicator that is unique with respect to the message and the first device.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processing unit is operatively configured, when executing the secure sending module, to receive the encryption key from the server via the data communication interface, wherein the encryption key is the only key generated by the server based on the message specific identifier, a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets, and a selected one of a plurality of encryption key construction paradigms resident on the server.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium on which is stored a set of executable instructions for securely communicating a message between a plurality of devices using a message specific identifier, which when executed perform steps comprising:

assembling the message specific identifier from one or more attributes associated with the message and a first of the devices as a sender of the message;

sending an encryption key request to a server external to the first of the devices, wherein the encryption key request is based upon the message specific identifier;

receiving an encryption key from the server, wherein the encryption key is based on the message specific identifier, a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets generated by the server, and a selected one of a plurality of encryption key construction paradigms resident on the server, wherein each of the random character sets being referenced by a corresponding unique random character set identifier;

encrypting the message using the received encryption key;

destroying the encryption key and providing the message specific identifier and the encrypted message to a messaging application on the first of the devices; and

sending the encrypted message to a second of the devices.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more attributes include at least one from the group comprising a hardware address associated with the first of the devices, a sender address, a recipient address associated with the second of the devices, a chronological attribute, a user ID attribute, a password attribute, and a processing unit component ID attribute.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the user ID attribute is based at least in part on one from a group comprising biometric, numeric, alphabetic, and alphanumeric data.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the password attribute is based at least in part on one from a group comprising biometric, numeric, alphabetic, and alphanumeric data.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step of assembling the message specific identifier from the one or more attributes comprises creating a hash of the attributes to form an information-based indicator that is unique with respect to the message and the first of the devices.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions are maintained within a BIOS device.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the encryption key from the server, wherein the encryption key is the only key generated by the server based on the message specific identifier and a current one of a group of periodically generated random character sets.