Data transfer and management system

• US 20030177422A1
• Filed: 09/10/2002
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Herbert Street Technologies
• Original Assignee: Herbert Street Technologies
• Inventors: Roumiantsev, Andrei Igorevich, Koltsov, Alexandre Vladimirovich, OʼDoherty, Brian John, Tararoukhine, Ilia Valerievich
• Granted Patent: US 7,406,596 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• 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 63/0464 using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• 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 69/328 in the presentation layer [OSI layer 6]

Abstract

A system for the secure transfer of data and data management on the Internet has a data encryption and transfer module operable in a user computing system, a data management module operable in a server computing system, the transfer of data between the user and server computing systems being effected on the user computing system through use of the data encryption and transfer module, by moving the data to or from a first desktop window, associated with the user computing system, from or to a second desktop window, associated with the server computing system, each window being associated with a password, such that the step of moving the data from one window to the other causes the data to be encrypted/re-encrypted from one associated password to the other. The system also includes a password management module operable in the user computing system for managing the passwords, which are required to be used by a user of the system. The system uses symmetric key encryption coupled with file transfer protocol (FTP) data transfer and allows for the secure transfer of large data files of 100 megabytes or more.

Claims

1. A system for the secure transfer of data and data management on the Internet comprising:

a data encryption and transfer module operable in a user computing system;

a data management module operable in a server computing system;

the transfer of data between the user and server computing systems being effected on the user computing system through use of the data encryption and transfer module, by moving the data to or from a first desktop window, associated with the user computing system, from or to a second desktop window, associated with the server computing system, each window being associated with a password, such that the step of moving the data from one window to the other causes the data to be encrypted, re-encrypted or decrypted from one associated password to the other; and

a password management module operable in the user computing system for managing the passwords, which are required to be used by a user of the system.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the data encryption and transfer module uses symmetric key encryption and a file-transferring engine.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the data encryption and transfer module uses public key encryption and a file-transferring engine.

4. A system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the file-transferring engine is a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) engine.

5. A system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the file-transferring engine is a file transfer protocol (FTP) engine.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the transfer of data can be resumed from a point of breakdown following a line interruption.

7. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data encryption and transfer module includes a data compression/decompression function.

8. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data transferred by a first user, using the data encryption and transfer module, can be stored on the server computing system such that it can only be accessed by that user.

9. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data transferred by the first user, using the data encryption and transfer module, can be stored on the server computing system such that it can be accessed and downloaded by a second user, using the data encryption and transfer module in his own user computing system, but is not accessible by another person, except with the first user'"'"'s permission.

10. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein a first user can create a data file on the server computing system into and out of which data can only be transferred by the first user and other users, designated by the first user.

11. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data encryption and transfer module supports the desktop encryption of data on the user computing system.

12. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data encryption and transfer module supports the preparation of self-decrypting, self-extracting, executable archives for transfer to non-users of the system.

13. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein data in the form of a message can be transferred, optionally attached to a file, the message being encrypted in the same manner as the file.

14. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data management module includes the functions of data storage, management and exchange, the storage of public keys/certificates, and an imbedded public key infrastructure (PKI).

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the data management module supports secure remote administration of the system including the functions of stopping/running the module, viewing and checking the working parameters, adding or removing users, and changing a user'"'"'s options.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the data flow between a remote administrator and the server computing system is encrypted.

17. A system according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the data management module provides a document tracking service for the users.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the document tracking service includes the automatic sending of an e-mail notification of an uploaded file to the intended recipient, and the automatic sending of an e-mail notification to a sender, when a file has been downloaded by a recipient.

19. A system according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the document tracking service includes the marking of files by the data management module, once they have been downloaded from the server computing system by a recipient.

20. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data management module will detect when both a user and an intended recipient are connected to the system and will provide the user with the option of sending the data directly to the recipient'"'"'s computer, without intermediate storage on the server computing system.

21. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data, to be transferred by a user to a recipient'"'"'s folder on the server computing system, is encrypted using a secret password agreed between the user and the recipient.

22. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein, when a secret password cannot be agreed between a user and a recipient, the encryption and transfer module generates a one-session common secret password by which the data to be transferred is encrypted, the data management module provides the user computing system with the public password of the recipient and the encryption and transfer module encrypts the one-session common password with the public password of the recipient and adds it to the data to be transferred, such that the recipient can subsequently decrypt the data using the one-session secret password.

23. A system according to claim 21 or 22, wherein the secret passwords of a user and also the secret passwords shared by a user and his recipients are stored in the password management module operable in the user computing system in encrypted form.

24. A system according to claim 23, wherein the passwords, stored in the password management module, are encrypted with the user'"'"'s main password and are decrypted when needed, providing a secret key infrastructure (SKI).

25. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the use of digital signatures and standard or imbedded certificates is supported.

31. A system according to claim 1 for the secure transfer of data and data management on the Internet, substantially as hereinbefore described and with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

32. A system according to claim 1 for the secure transfer of data and data management on the Internet, substantially as hereinbefore described and exemplified.

26. A system for the transfer of data from a first location on a computing system to a second location on a computing system comprising, a data encryption and transfer module operable in a user computing system, the transfer of the data between the first location and the second location being effected on the user computing system through use of the data encryption and transfer module, by moving the data from the first location to the second location, each location being associated with a password, such that the step of moving the data from one location to the other causes the data to be encrypted, re-encrypted or decrypted from one associated password to the other.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the first and second locations are on the user computing system.

28. A system according to claim 26, wherein the first location is on the user computing system and the second location is on a remote computing system.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the user computing system and the remote computing system are part of a local area network.

30. A system according to claim 28, wherein the user computing system and the remote computing system are connected through the Internet.

33. A system according to claim 26 for the transfer of data, substantially as hereinbefore described with particular reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

34. A system according to claim 26 for the transfer of data, substantially as hereinbefore described and exemplified.