Smart card device and method used for transmitting and receiving secure e-mails

• US 7,178,724 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2003
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: STMicroelectronics Incorporated (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Tournemille, Jerome, Tamagno, David
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, STEVE S
• Application Number:
  US10/419,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20040206812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 235/492, 235/380, 235/382, 235/375, 235/451, 713/172, 713/173, 713/202
• US Class Current: 235/380
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting and receiving secure e-mails is disclosed. A smart card device stores both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm. The smart card device is preferably a USB smart card device and interfaces a host having a client e-mail program. E-mails are transferred to and/or from the client e-mail program and e-mail server via the smart card while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device. The smart card device stores an IP address for an e-mail server. A Simple Mail Transfer Protocol outgoing parameter is set from the client e-mail program to an IP address for the smart card device.

Claims

1. A smart card system for transmitting and receiving secure e-mails comprising:

a smart card device reader adapted to be connected to a host having a client e-mail program for transmitting and/or receiving e-mails to and/or from an e-mail server;

a smart card device received within the smart card device reader and comprising,

a card body; and

an integrated circuit carried by the card body and comprising

a memory for storing a set of instructions relating to initiating and completing smart card transactions between the smart card device and a port of the host and for storing both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm, and

a processor operative for communicating with the host via the smart card reader and operative for transferring e-mails to and/or from the client e-mail program and the e-mail server via the smart card device while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device, wherein said memory is operative for storing a smart card device IP address for an email server, and a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) outgoing parameter is set to the smart card device IP address such that the smart card device is operative as a gateway from a client email program.

2. A smart card system according to claim 1, wherein said smart card device comprises a Universal Serial Bus smart card device (USD).

3. A smart card system according to claim 1, wherein said smart card device comprises a universal serial bus token.

4. A smart card system according to claim 1, and further comprising a password stored in said memory, wherein said smart card device is operative for transferring e-mails only after a correct password has been entered and matched to the password stored in memory.

5. A smart card system according to claim 1, wherein said private key is configured within said smart card device at the time of issuance.

6. A smart card system according to claim 1, wherein public keys are added and/or revoked based on user input.

7. A smart card system according to claim 1, wherein said smart card device is operative for returning the results of any commands back from a remote Post Office Protocol (POP) server to a client e-mail program on the host.

8. An integrated circuit comprising:

at least one memory for storing a set of instructions relating to initiating and completing smart card transactions between a smart card device and a communications port of a host and for storing both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm; and

a processor connected to the at least one memory and operative for communicating with a host and operative for transferring e-mails to and/or from a client email program on a host and a user email server via the smart card device while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device, wherein said memory is operative for storing a smart card device IP address for an email server, and a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) outgoing parameter is set to the smart card device IP address such that the smart card device is operative as a gateway from a client email program.

9. An integrated circuit according to claim 8, and further comprising a plurality of contact pads and operative for communicating with a universal serial bus port of a host.

10. An integrated circuit according to claim 8, and further comprising a password stored in said memory, wherein said processor is operative for transferring e-mails only after a correct password has been entered by a user and matched to the password stored in said memory.

11. An integrated circuit according to claim 8, wherein said private key is configured within said memory at the time of issuance to a user.

12. A smart card comprising:

a card body;

an integrated circuit carried by said card body and comprising at least one memory for storing a set of instructions relating to initiating and completing smart card transactions between a smart card and a communications port of a host and for storing both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm; and

a processor connected to the at least one memory and operative for communicating with the host and operative for transferring e-mails to and/or from a client e-mail program and a user e-mail server via the smart card while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device, wherein said memory is operative for storing a smart card IP address for an email server, and a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) outgoing parameter is set to the smart card IP address such that the smart card device is operative as a gateway from a client email program.

13. A smart card system according to claim 12, wherein said smart card further comprises a plurality of contact pads and operative for communicating with a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port of a host.

14. A method of transmitting and receiving secure e-mails comprising the steps of:

storing in a smart card device both private and public keys for an encryption algorithm;

user interfacing the smart card device with a host having a client e-mail program;

transferring e-mails to and/or from the client e-mail program and an e-mail server via the smart card device while decrypting and encrypting any transmitted and/or received e-mails within the smart card device;

storing within a smart card device memory a smart card device IP address for an email server; and

setting a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) outgoing parameter to the smart card device IP address such that the smart card device is operative as a gateway from a client email program.

15. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of storing the private and public keys in a Universal Serial Bus smart card device (USD).

16. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of storing the private and public keys on a smart card token.

17. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of transferring e-mails to and/or from the e-mail server using the internet.

18. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of inputting a password and matching the input password to a stored password in the smart card device, and when there is a match, enabling access through the smart card device to any encrypted e-mails on the email server.

19. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of inputting a password and matching the input password to a stored password in the smart card device, and when there is a match, enabling transmission through the smart card device of e-mails.

20. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of configuring the private key stored in the smart card device at the time when the smart card device is issued.

21. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of running a key manager on the host that is operable for adding/revoking public keys.

22. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of adding a new public key that is transmitted by a trusted user and/or revoking a public key.

23. A method according to claim 14, and further comprising the step of returning from the smart card device any results of commands back from a remote Post Office Protocol server to the client e-mail program on the host.

24. A method according to claim 23, and further comprising the step of performing description on the smart card device.