System and method for securing voice mail messages

• US 6,741,705 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Munro, Charles A., Clark, K. Paul, Sanders, Jeffrey A., Nelson, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morse, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): HENEGHAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US09/511,082
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 713/200, 713/193, 379/93.24, 380/257
• US Class Current: 380/257
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/16 with lock-out or secrecy provision in party-line systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A system is provided for securing voice mail messages. The system includes a packet network and a telephony device that is coupled to the packet network. The system also includes a voice mail system that is coupled to the packet network and that receives a voice mail message from a caller attempting to communicate with a user of the telephony device. The voice mail system encrypts the voice mail message using a public key associated with the telephony device and stores the encrypted voice mail message in an open file system coupled to the packet network.

Claims

1. A method for securing voice mail messages, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a caller attempting to communicate with a user of a telephony device, the telephony device coupled to a packet network;

indicating to the caller that the user is not available to communicate with the caller;

receiving a voice mail message from the caller for the user of the telephony device;

encrypting the voice mail message using a public key associated with the telephony device; and

storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system such that the encrypted voice mail message is accessible from the packet network;

wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises encrypting the voice mail message as it is received without storing the unencrypted voice mail message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises:

determining the identity of the telephony device being called;

retrieving the public key associated with the telephony device; and

encrypting the voice mail message using the public key.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises encrypting the message using an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises:

encrypting the voice mail message using a secret key as an input into a symmetric encryption algorithm; and

encrypting the secret key using an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system comprises storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system accessible from the Internet.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system comprises storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system accessible independently of the voice mail system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a password with the user of the telephony device;

associating the user with the telephony device; and

converting the password into the public key associated with the telephony device using a conversion function.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to access encrypted voice mail messages stored in the file system and associated with the telephony device;

prompting the user to enter a password;

converting the password received from the user into an authentication key using the conversion function;

comparing the authentication key to the public key associated with the telephony device; and

providing the user with access to a listing of encrypted voice mail messages associated with the telephony device if the authentication key matches the public key.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the user of an encrypted voice mail message in the listing;

decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user; and

communicating the decrypted message to the user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user comprises using the password as a private key input into an asymmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the voice mail message.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user comprises:

decrypting a secret key using the password as a private key input into an asymmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the secret key; and

decrypting the selected voice mail message by inputting the secret key into a symmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the voice mail message.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein communicating the decrypted message to the user comprises streaming the decrypted message to the user as it is decrypted without storing the decrypted message.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection from the user of an encrypted voice mail message in the listing;

communicating the encrypted message to the user;

decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user.

14. A system for securing voice mail messages in a packet network, comprising:

a packet network;

a telephony device coupled to the packet network; and

a voice mail system coupled to the packet network and operable to receive a voice mail message from a caller attempting to communicate with a user of a telephony device coupled to the packet network, the voice mail system further operable to encrypt the voice mail message using a public key associated with the telephony device and to store the encrypted voice mail message in an open file system coupled to the packet network;

wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises encrypting the voice mail message as it is received without storing the unencrypted voice mail message.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the voice mail system is further operable to:

associate a password with the user of the telephony device;

associate the user with the telephony device; and

convert the password into the public key associated with the telephony device using a conversion function.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the voice mail system is further operable to:

receive a request from the user to access encrypted voice mail messages associated with the telephony device;

prompt the user to enter a password;

convert the password received from the user into an authentication key using the conversion function;

compare the authentication key to the public key associated with the telephony device; and

provide the user with access to a listing of encrypted voice mail messages associated with the telephony device if the authentication key matches the public key.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the voice mail system is further operable to:

receive a selection from the user of an encrypted voice mail message in the listing;

decrypt the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user; and

stream the decrypted message to the user as the message is decrypted without storing the decrypted message.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the encrypted voice mail message is accessible from the Internet.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the voice mail system stores the encrypted voice mail message in a separate, independent file system.

20. Voice mail security software embodied in a computer-readable medium and operable to perform the following steps:

receiving a telephone call from a caller attempting to communicate with a user of a telephony device, the telephony device coupled to a packet network;

indicating to the caller that the user is not available to communicate with the caller;

receiving a voice mail message from the caller for the user of the telephony device;

encrypting the voice mail message using a public key associated with the telephony device; and

storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system such that the encrypted voice mail message is accessible from the packet network;

wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises encrypting the voice mail message as it is received without storing the unencrypted voice mail message.

21. The voice mail security software of claim 20, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises:

determining the identity of the telephony device being called;

retrieving the public key associated with the telephony device; and

encrypting the voice mail message using the public key.

22. The voice mail security software of claim 20, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises encrypting the message using an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

23. The voice mail security software of claim 20, wherein encrypting the voice mail message using the public key associated with the telephony device comprises:

encrypting the voice mail message using a secret key as an input into a symmetric encryption algorithm; and

encrypting the secret key using an asymmetric encryption algorithm.

24. The voice mail security software of claim 20, wherein storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system comprises storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system accessible from the Internet.

25. The voice mail security software of claim 20, wherein storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system comprises storing the encrypted voice mail message in a file system accessible independently of the voice mail system.

26. The voice mail security software of claim 20, further operable to perform the following steps:

associating a password with the user of the telephony device;

associating the user with the telephony device; and

converting the password into the public key associated with the telephony device using a conversion function.

27. The voice mail security software of claim 26, further operable to perform the following steps:

receiving a request from the user to access encrypted voice mail messages stored in the file system and associated with the telephony device;

prompting the user to enter a password;

converting the password received from the user into an authentication key using the conversion function;

comparing the authentication key to the public key associated with the telephony device; and

providing the user with access to a listing of encrypted voice mail messages associated with the telephony device if the authentication key matches the public key.

28. The voice mail security software of claim 27, further operable to perform the following steps:

receiving a selection from the user of an encrypted voice mail message in the listing;

decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user; and

communicating the decrypted message to the user.

29. The voice mail security software of claim 28, wherein decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user comprises using the password as a private key input into an asymmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the voice mail message.

30. The voice mail security software of claim 28, wherein decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user comprises:

decrypting a secret key using the password as a private key input into an asymmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the secret key; and

decrypting the selected voice mail message by inputting the secret key into a symmetric encryption algorithm used to encrypt the voice mail message.

31. The voice mail security software of claim 28, wherein communicating the decrypted message to the user comprises streaming the decrypted message to the user as it is decrypted without storing the decrypted message.

32. The voice mail security software of claim 27, further operable to perform the following steps:

receiving a selection from the user of an encrypted voice mail message in the listing;

communicating the encrypted message to the user;

decrypting the selected voice mail message using the password received from the user.