Apparatus and method for managing use of secure tokens

• US 9,419,961 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chastain, Walter Cooper, Chin, Stephen Emille, King, Samuel, Suozzo, Michael, Vondrak, Nicholas, Wane, Ismaila
• Primary Examiner(s): Okeke, Izunna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Song, Hee
• Application Number:
  US14/807,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20150334107A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 726/3, 726/9, 380/277, 713/169
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0869 for achieving mutual authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A system that incorporates the subject disclosure may perform, for example, operations including receiving an encrypted secure token from a secure token application function that is remote from the communication device, storing the encrypted secure token in a secure element memory of the secure element, accessing user input requesting the encrypted secure token where the secure device processor is separate from the secure element and is in communication with the secure element, generating a modified secure token by adding identification information to the encrypted secure token and by performing a second encryption of the encrypted secure token with the identification information, receiving the modified secure token from the secure element, and providing the modified secure token to a receiving device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A communication device comprising:

a secure element having a secure element memory with first executable instructions, wherein the secure element, responsive to executing the first executable instructions, performs first operations comprising;

generating a modified secure token by adding identification information to an encrypted secure token stored in the secure element memory and by performing a second encryption of the encrypted secure token with the identification information, wherein the identification information comprises a digital signature, a time stamp or a combination thereof; and

receiving token adjustment instructions from a secure token application function, wherein the token adjustment instructions are received via a remote management server; and

a secure device processor having a secure device processor memory with second executable instructions, wherein the secure device processor is in communication with the secure element, wherein the secure device processor, responsive to executing the second executable instructions, performs second operations comprising;

receiving the modified secure token from the secure element; and

providing the modified secure token to a receiving device to enable the receiving device to provide the modified secure token to the secure token application function for decrypting the modified secure token to analyze the identification information and to obtain token information for use by the receiving device,

wherein the receiving of the encrypted secure token from the secure token application function by the secure element is via the remote management server, and wherein keysets are utilized for mutual authentication of the secure element and the secure device processor with the remote management server.

2. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a device processor that is separate from the secure device processor and in communication with the secure device processor, wherein the device processor facilitates wireless communications between the communication device and the receiving device, and wherein the secure device processor is separate from the secure element.

3. The communication device of claim 2, wherein the secure element comprises a universal integrated circuit card, and wherein the first operations of the secure element further comprise receiving the encrypted secure token from the secure token application function that is remote from the communication device.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the adding of the identification information to the encrypted secure token is via a hash function.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the second operations of the secure device processor further comprise accessing user input requesting the encrypted secure token, wherein the receiving of the modified secure token from the secure element is responsive to the accessing of the user input.

6. The communication device of claim 5, wherein the encrypted secure token comprises a two dimensional bar code, and wherein the receiving device comprises a two dimensional bar code reader.

7. The communication device of claim 6, wherein the second operations of the secure device processor further comprise:

receiving, by the secure device processor, a secure token descriptor associated with the encrypted secure token from the secure token application function; and

storing the secure token descriptor in the secure device processor memory, wherein the user input is a selection based on the secure token descriptor.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the token adjustment instructions include a command to delete the encrypted secure token from the secure element memory.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the token adjustment instructions include a command to replace the encrypted secure token in the secure element memory with another encrypted secure token.

10. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the token adjustment instructions include a command to change encryption keys associate with the encrypted secure token stored in the secure element memory.

11. A method comprising:

generating, by a secure element of a communication device, a modified secure token by adding identification information to an encrypted secure token stored in a secure element memory of the secure element and by performing a second encryption of the encrypted secure token with the identification information, wherein the identification information comprises a digital signature, a time stamp or a combination thereof;

receiving, by a secure device processor of the communication device, the modified secure token from the secure element, wherein the secure device processor is in communication with the secure element;

providing, by the secure device processor, the modified secure token to a receiving device to enable the receiving device to provide the modified secure token to a secure token application function for decrypting the modified secure token to analyze the identification information and to obtain token information for use by the receiving device; and

receiving, by the secure element, token adjustment instructions from the secure token application function, wherein the token adjustment instructions are received via a remote management server,

wherein the receiving of the encrypted secure token from the secure token application function by the secure element is via the remote management server, and

wherein keysets are utilized for mutual authentication of the secure element and the secure device processor with the remote management server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the secure device processor is separate from the secure element and further comprising:

receiving, by the secure device processor, a secure token descriptor associated with the encrypted secure token from the secure token application function; and

storing the secure token descriptor in a secure device processor memory, wherein a request for the encrypted secure token is based on a selection according to the secure token descriptor.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the request is generated by an application being executed on the communication device and further comprising providing wireless communications between the communication device and the receiving device utilizing a device processor of the communication device, wherein the device processor is separate from the secure device processor and in communication with the secure device processor.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the request is generated by a remote source.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the identification information is added to the encrypted secure token using a hash function.

16. The method of claim 11,

wherein the token adjustment instructions include one of a command to delete the encrypted secure token from the secure element memory, a command to replace the encrypted secure token in the secure element memory with another encrypted secure token, or a command to change encryption keys associate with the encrypted secure token stored in the secure element memory.

17. A method comprising:

receiving, by a secure token application function, a modified secure token from a receiving device that obtained the modified secure token from a communication device according to user input associated with a token descriptor;

decrypting, by the secure token application function, the modified secure token to obtain an encrypted secure token and to obtain identification information, wherein the identification information comprises a digital signature, a time stamp or a combination thereof;

verifying, by the secure token application function, the identification information;

decrypting, by the secure token application function, the encrypted secure token to obtain a secure token;

analyzing, by the secure token application function, the secure token to obtain token information; and

providing, by the secure token application function, a notification to the receiving device indicating an acceptance or denial of the token information;

providing, by the secure token application function, token adjustment instructions to a secure element of the communication device, wherein the token adjustment instructions are provided via a remote management server,

wherein the encrypted secure token is provided to the secure element of the communication device via the remote management server, and

wherein keysets are utilized for mutual authentication of the secure element and a secure device processor of the communication device with the remote management server.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the token adjustment instructions include one of a command to delete the encrypted secure token from the secure element, a command to replace the encrypted secure token in the secure element with another encrypted secure token, or a command to change encryption keys associate with the encrypted secure token stored in the secure element.

19. The method of claim 17, comprising comparing the secure token obtained from the decrypting to another secure token that was generated and stored by the secure token application function, wherein the decrypting of the encrypted secure token to obtain the secure token utilizes a transport key.