COMMUNICATION NODE, KEY SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD, AND KEY SYNCHRONIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20140181522A1
• Filed: 09/05/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: TANIZAWA, Yoshimichi, Baba, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,083,684 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/171
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08

Abstract

In general, according to one embodiment, a communication node includes a key synchronization controller and an application communicator. The key synchronization controller controls synchronization of an application key on the basis of a node-based signaling process and a session-based signaling process, where the former process is for starting or ending exchanging of an application key between a correspondent node and the communication node and the latter process is for synchronizing a rule for assignment of the application key to a session with the correspondent node, the session shared with the correspondent node. The application communicator provides the application key in accordance with the rule, the key for use by an application having the session.

Claims

1. A communication node, comprising:

a key synchronization controller that controls synchronization of an application key on the basis of a node-based signaling process and a session-based signaling process, where the former process is for starting or ending exchanging of an application key between a correspondent node and the communication node and the latter process is for synchronizing a rule for assignment of the application key to a session with the correspondent node, the session shared with the correspondent node; and

an application communicator that provides the application key in accordance with the rule, the key for use by an application having the session.

2. The node according to claim 1, wherein

the key synchronization controller executes the node-based signaling process and then the session-based signaling process in starting the session, and

executes the session-based signaling process and then the node-based signaling process in ending the session.

3. The node according to claim 1, wherein the key synchronization controller changes the rule depending on addition of the session and elimination thereof, and synchronizes the post-change rule with the correspondent node.

4. The node according to claim 3, wherein the key synchronization controller exchanges, between the correspondent node and the communication node, a key ID of an application key used lastly under a rule prior to the change and a key ID of an application key to be used first under a rule after the change.

5. The node according to claim 1, wherein the rule represents that a weighting of quantity of the application key assigned to the session is different for each respective session ID.

6. The node according to claim 1, wherein a speed related to exchanging an application key and the exchange between the correspondent node and the communication node is changed on the basis of the number of sessions commonly managed between the aforementioned two nodes.

7. The node according to claim 5, wherein the weighting is determined on the basis of a throughput of the application key, the throughput requested from the application.

8. The node according to claim 1, wherein the application key is exchanged between the correspondent node and the communication node by means of quantum cryptographic communication.

9. A key synchronization method, comprising:

controlling synchronization of an application key on the basis of a node-based signaling process and a session-based signaling process, where the former process is for starting or ending exchanging of an application key between a correspondent node and the latter process is for synchronizing a rule for assignment of the application key to a session with the correspondent node, the session shared with the correspondent node; and

providing the application key in accordance with the rule, the key for use by an application having the session.

10. A key synchronization system for synchronizing an application key between a first communication node and a second communication node, wherein

the first communication node comprises:

a key synchronization controller that controls synchronization of an application key on the basis of a node-based signaling process and a session-based signaling process, where the former process is for starting or ending exchanging of the application key between the second communication node and the first communication node, and the latter process is for synchronizing a rule for assignment of the application key to a session with the second communication node, the session shared with the second communication node; and

an application communicator that provides the application key in accordance with the rule, the key for use by a first application having the session, and wherein

the second communication node comprises;

a key synchronization controller that controls synchronization of an application key on the basis of a node-based signaling process and a session-based signaling process, where the former process is for starting or ending exchanging of the application key between the first communication node and the second communication node, and the latter process is for synchronizing a rule for assignment of the application key to a session with the first communication node, the session shared with the first communication node; and

an application communicator that provides the application key in accordance with the rule, the key for use by a second application having the session.