Conflict resolution for keychain syncing

• US 9,710,673 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2016
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Brouwer, Michael, De Atley, Dallas B., Adler, Mitchell D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shayanfar, Ali
• Application Number:
  US15/274,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20170011234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/275 Synchronous replication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6263 during internet communication, e.g. revealing personal data from cookies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• 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 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a program that synchronizes a keychain stored on a device with a set of other devices. The keychain includes a set of keychain items. The program receives (1) a list of keychain items for updating the keychain stored on the device and (2) data representing the keychain items specified in the list of keychain items. For each keychain item in the list of keychain items, the program updates the keychain stored on the device with the data that represents the keychain item.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing a keychain stored on a first device in a set of peer devices with a set of keychains stored on other devices in the set of peer devices, each keychain comprising a set of keychain items, the method comprising:

receiving a notification that a second device in the set of peer devices has added a first keychain item to a particular keychain while the first device was offline;

retrieving the first keychain item added to the particular keychain by the second device in the set of peer devices;

determining that a first unique identifier associated with the first keychain item matches a second unique identifier associated with a second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device;

based on the determination that the first unique identifier matches the second unique identifier associated with the second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device, resolving a conflict between the first and second keychain items; and

updating the particular keychain on the first device based on resolution of the conflict.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first unique identifier does not match any unique identifier associated with any item in the particular keychain on the first device, the first keychain item is added to the particular keychain on the first device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein resolving the conflict comprises:

determining which of the first and second keychain items is more recent; and

setting a value of the second keychain item in the particular keychain on the first device to a value of the first keychain item if the first keychain item is more recent.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein if the second keychain item is more recent, the conflict is resolved by not modifying the second keychain item.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the determination as to which of the first and second keychain items is more recent is based on timestamps associated with the first and second keychain items.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first keychain item is retrieved from a cloud storage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein retrieving the first keychain item comprises:

receiving an encrypted first keychain item; and

decrypting the encrypted first keychain item.

8. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit of a first device in a set of peer devices synchronizes a keychain stored on the first device with a set of keychains stored on other devices in the set of peer devices, each keychain comprising a set of keychain items, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving a notification that a second device in the set of peer devices has added a first keychain item to a particular keychain while the first device was offline;

retrieving the first keychain item added to the particular keychain by the second device in the set of peer devices;

determining that a first unique identifier associated with the first keychain item matches a second unique identifier associated with a second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device;

based on the determination that the first unique identifier matches the second unique identifier associated with the second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device, resolving a conflict between the first and second keychain items; and

updating the particular keychain on the first device based on resolution of the conflict.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for adding the first keychain item to the particular keychain on the first device if the first unique identifier does not match any unique identifier associated with any item in the particular keychain on the first device.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions for resolving the conflict comprises sets of instructions for:

determining which of the first and second keychain items is more recent; and

setting a value of the second keychain item in the particular keychain on the first device to a value of the first keychain item if the first keychain item is more recent.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein if the second keychain item is more recent, the conflict is resolved by not modifying the second keychain item.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein the determination as to which of the first and second keychain items is more recent is based on timestamps associated with the first and second keychain items.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the first keychain item is retrieved from a cloud storage.

14. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the set of instructions for retrieving the first keychain item comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving an encrypted first keychain item; and

decrypting the encrypted first keychain item.

15. A first device in a set of peer devices, the first device comprising:

a set of processing units; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one of the processing units synchronizes a keychain stored on the first device with a set of keychains stored on other devices in the set of peer devices, each keychain comprising a set of keychain items, the program comprising sets of instructions for;

receiving a notification that a second device in the set of peer devices has added a first keychain item to a particular keychain while the first device was offline;

retrieving the first keychain item added to the particular keychain by the second device in the set of peer devices;

determining that a first unique identifier associated with the first keychain item matches a second unique identifier associated with a second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device;

based on the determination that the first unique identifier matches the second unique identifier associated with the second keychain item stored in the particular keychain on the first device, resolving a conflict between the first and second keychain items; and

updating the particular keychain on the first device based on resolution of the conflict.

16. The first device of claim 15, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for adding the first keychain item to the particular keychain on the first device if the first unique identifier does not match any unique identifier associated with any item in the particular keychain on the first device.

17. The first device of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions for resolving the conflict comprises sets of instructions for:

determining which of the first and second keychain items is more recent; and

setting a value of the second keychain item in the particular keychain on the first device to a value of the first keychain item if the first keychain item is more recent.

18. The first device of claim 17, wherein if the second keychain item is more recent, the conflict is resolved by not modifying the second keychain item.

19. The first device of claim 15, wherein the first keychain item is retrieved from a cloud storage.

20. The first device of claim 15, wherein the set of instructions for retrieving the first keychain item comprises sets of instructions for:

receiving an encrypted first keychain item; and

decrypting the encrypted first keychain item.