Synchronizing certificates between a device and server

• US 20070101025A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Little, Herbert, Adams, Neil, Brown, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,953,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing messages within a wireless communications system are disclosed. A server within the wireless communications system maintains a list of certificates contained in devices that use the server. The server synchronizes or updates the list of certificates based on information contained in message to and from the device. By providing a server with certificates associated with devices that use the server, and providing a system and method for synchronizing the certificates between the device and server, the server can implement powerful features that will improve the efficiency, speed and user satisfaction of the devices. The exemplary embodiments also enable advantageous bandwidth savings by preventing transmission of certificates unnecessarily

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing information between a server and a device using the server, comprising:

sending a message from the device to the server, said message including information to be synchronized between the server and the device and a command directing the server to take a specific action with respect to said information; and

performing, at the server, the action indicated by the command with respect to said information to maintain an updated list of said information;

said action including removing a portion of said message and updating said list of information based on said removed portion of said message;

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile wireless communications device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said action performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information to said list of said information and removing certificate information from said list of information.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising providing a notification to said device of said action take to update said list of information.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message comprises an S/MIME message.

7. A method for synchronizing information between a server and a device that uses the server comprising:

receiving a message at the server, the message including certificate information for a device that sent the message;

stripping said certificate information from said message; and

updating certificate information of the device contained in the server based on information contained in said message.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said device is a mobile wireless communications device.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said certificate information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said updating performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information to said list of said information and removing certificate information from said list of information.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising providing a notification to said device of said action take to update said list of information.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

13. A method for synchronizing information between a server and a device that uses the server, comprising:

sending a message to the device via said server, said message including certificate information;

processing, by said server, of said message;

determining, by said server, whether to strip certificate information from said message;

when said server determines to strip certificate information from said message, updating a list of certificates for the device for which the message is intended with the certificate information and notifying said device of updating performed by said server;

when said server determines to leave certificate information in said message, passing said message to said device and notifying said device that said certificate was not stripped;

determining, by said device, if action taken by said server was correct;

if said action taken by said server was correct, optionally sending an acknowledgement to said server that the correct action was taken; and

if said action taken by said server was incorrect, sending a notification of incorrect action to the server, and the device instituting remedial action to ensure proper updating of said list of certificates.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said device comprises a mobile wireless communications device.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein updating said list of certificates includes at least one of adding or removing a certificate from said list.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein when said server improperly strips certificate information from said message, said device sends a message to said server, said message including the improperly stripped certificate and an instruction to update the list with said improperly stripped certificate.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein when said server improperly leaves certificate information in said message, said device sending a message to said server instructing said server to update the list with said improperly left certificate information.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

19. A system for synchronizing certificate information between a server and a mobile device, comprising:

a server for receiving and processing messages to an from said mobile device;

program logic resident on said server for maintaining an updated list of certificate information for said mobile device by;

receiving a message, the message including certificate information for a device that sent the message;

stripping said certificate information from said message; and

updating certificate information of the device contained in the server based on information contained in said message.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said device is a mobile wireless communications device.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein said certificate information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the device.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said updating performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information to said list of said information and removing certificate information from said list of information.

23. The system according to claim 22, further comprising providing a notification to said device of said action take to update said list of information.

24. The system according to claim 19, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

25. A system for synchronizing certificate information between a server and a mobile device, comprising:

a server for receiving and processing messages to an from said mobile device;

program logic resident on said server for maintaining an updated list of certificate information for said mobile device by;

determining whether to strip certificate information from said message;

when said server determines to strip certificate information from said message, updating a list of certificates for the device for which the message is intended with the certificate information and optionally notifying said device of updating performed by said server;

when said server determines to leave certificate information in said message, passing said message to said device and optionally notifying said device that said certificate was not stripped;

determining, by said device, if action taken by said server was correct;

if said action taken by said server was correct, optionally sending an acknowledgement to said server that the correct action was taken; and

if said action taken by said server was incorrect, sending a notification of incorrect action to the server, and the device instituting remedial action to ensure proper updating of said list of certificates.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said device comprises a mobile wireless communications device.

27. The system according to claim 25, wherein updating said list of certificates includes at least one of adding or removing a certificate from said list.

28. The system according to claim 27, wherein when said server improperly strips certificate information from said message, said device sends a message to said server, said message including the improperly stripped certificate and an instruction to update the list with said improperly stripped certificate.

29. The system according to claim 27, wherein when said server improperly leaves certificate information in said message, said device sending a message to said server instructing said server to update the list with said improperly left certificate information.

30. The system according to claim 25, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.