Protecting sensitive information using an untrusted device

• US 9,853,954 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Qining, Wang, Xi Qing, Yan, Yan, Yang, Zhen Xiang, Zhao, Shiwan
• Primary Examiner(s): DOLLY, KENDALL LYNN
• Application Number:
  US14/537,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20160352697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0435 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply symmetric encryption, i.e. same key used for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for symmetric key encryption H04L9/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority

Abstract

The invention relates to information processing field, and discloses a method for protecting sensitive information, comprising: determining that the sensitive information is required by a server; transmitting first information to a trusted device connected to the untrusted device, where the first information enables the sensitive information to be transmitted from the trusted device to the server, wherein the sensitive information is input on the trusted device; receiving second information transmitted by the trusted device, the second information is generated based on the first information and includes the sensitive information encrypted with a first secret key, wherein the first secret key meets one of the following: the untrusted device does not know the first secret key; the untrusted device knows the first secret key but is unable to use the first secret key to decrypt the encrypted sensitive information; forwarding the second information to the server.

Claims

1. A method for protecting sensitive information, the method comprising:

responsive to determining that sensitive information is required by a server, establishing a connection between the server and an untrusted device;

responsive to receiving a public key from the server at the untrusted device, transmitting the public key to a trusted device connected to the untrusted device;

generating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for population with the sensitive information by the trusted device;

transmitting the generated URL to the trusted device, wherein the sensitive information is inputted on the trusted device through the untrusted device and the trusted device populates the generated URL with the sensitive information;

receiving an encrypted URL transmitted by the trusted device, wherein the encrypted URL is generated by the trusted device based on the generated URL and the encrypted URL includes the sensitive information encrypted with a first secret key, wherein the first secret key is the public key;

forwarding the encrypted URL to the server, wherein the untrusted device is unable to use the first secret key to decrypt the sensitive information present in the encrypted URL; and

responsive to receiving an authentication identification transmitted by the server based on the sensitive information, communicating with the server by using the authentication identification.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein responsive to determining that the sensitive information is required by a server comprises one of the following:

determining that the sensitive information is required by the server by analyzing the information transmitted by the server; and

determining that the sensitive information is required by the server based on an input of a user, wherein the input indicates that the server needs the sensitive information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

transmitting the generated URL to the trusted device comprises forwarding information received from the server to the trusted device, wherein the information received from the server includes information enabling the trusted device to generate a first message, wherein the first message includes a first field for placing the sensitive information;

and

the encrypted URL includes the first message.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

presenting prompt information to a user to ask the user whether to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information in response to determining that the sensitive information is required by the server; and

transmitting the generated URL to the trusted device in response to the user choosing to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information.

5. A computer program product for protecting sensitive information, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions when executed by a processor to cause the processor to:

responsive to determining that sensitive information is required by a server, establish a connection between the server and an untrusted device;

responsive to receiving a public key from the server at the untrusted device, transmit the public key to a trusted device connected to the untrusted device;

generate a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for population with the sensitive information by the trusted device;

transmit the generated URL to the trusted device, wherein the sensitive information is inputted on the trusted device through the untrusted device and the trusted device populated the generated URL with the sensitive information;

receive an encrypted URL transmitted by the trusted device, wherein the encrypted URL is generated by the trusted device based on the generated URL and the encrypted URL includes the sensitive information encrypted with a first secret key, wherein the first secret key is the public key;

forward the encrypted URL to the server, wherein the untrusted device is unable to use the first secret key to decrypt the sensitive information present in the encrypted URL; and

responsive to receiving an authentication identification transmitted by the server based on the sensitive information, communicate with the server by using the authentication identification.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein responsive to determining that the sensitive information is required by a server comprises one of the following program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine that the sensitive information is required by the server by analyzing the information transmitted by the server; and

determine that the sensitive information is required by the server based on an input of a user, wherein the input indicates that the server needs the sensitive information.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein:

transmitting of the generated URL to the trusted device comprises forwarding information received from the server to the trusted device, wherein the information received from the server includes information enabling the trusted device to generate a first message, wherein the first message includes a first field for placing the sensitive information; and

the encrypted URL includes the first message.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

present prompt information to a user to ask the user whether to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information in response to determining that the sensitive information is required by the server; and

transmit the generated URL to the trusted device in response to the user choosing to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information.

9. A computer system for protecting sensitive information, the computer system comprising a computer readable storage device having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions when executed by a processor to cause the processor to:

responsive to determining that sensitive information is required by a server, establish a connection between the server and an untrusted device;

responsive to receiving a public key from the server at the untrusted device, transmit the public key to a trusted device connected to the untrusted device;

generate a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for population with the sensitive information by the trusted device;

transmit the generated URL to the trusted device, wherein the sensitive information is inputted on the trusted device through the untrusted device and the trusted device populated the generated URL with the sensitive information;

receive an encrypted URL transmitted by the trusted device, wherein the encrypted URL is generated by the trusted device based on the generated URL and the encrypted URL includes the sensitive information encrypted with a first secret key, wherein the first secret key is the public key;

forward the encrypted URL to the server, wherein the untrusted device is unable to use the first secret key to decrypt the sensitive information present in the encrypted URL; and

responsive to receiving an authentication identification transmitted by the server based on the sensitive information, communicate with the server by using the authentication identification.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein responsive to determining that the sensitive information is required by a server comprises one of the following program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

determine that the sensitive information is required by the server by analyzing the information transmitted by the server; and

determine that the sensitive information is required by the server based on an input of a user, wherein the input indicates that the server needs the sensitive information.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein:

transmitting of the generated URL to the trusted device comprises forwarding information received from the server to the trusted device, wherein the information received from the server includes information enabling the trusted device to generate a first message, wherein the first message includes a first field for placing the sensitive information; and

the encrypted URL includes the first message.

12. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

present prompt information to a user to ask the user whether to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information in response to determining that the sensitive information is required by the server; and

transmit the generated URL to the trusted device in response to the user choosing to go to the trusted device to input the sensitive information.