System and method for checking digital certificate status

• US 7,761,703 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Janhunen, Stefan E., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LaForgia; Christian
• Application Number:
  US10/508,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20050172128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,679 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/156
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/76 Proxy, i.e. using intermediary entity to perform cryptographic operations network architectures or network communication protocols using hop-by-hop encryption H04L63/0464
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• 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 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply hybrid encryption, i.e. combination of symmetric and asymmetric encryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements using a plurality of keys or algorithms H04L9/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys

Abstract

A method and system for handling digital certificate status checks are provided. Digital certificate status request data transmitted from a client system is received at a proxy system. The proxy system generates query data for the digital certificate status in response to receiving the digital certificate status request data. The query data is transmitted to a status provider system, and status data from the status provider system in response to the query data is received at the proxy system. Digital certificate status data based on the status data received is generated by the proxy system and transmitted to the client system.

Claims

1. A system for determining a status of a digital certificate from status data stored in a status provider system comprising:

a client system comprising a client module, the client module operable to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the digital certificate for transmission from the client system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the digital certificate in response to the status request; and

a proxy system comprising a proxy module, the proxy module operable to receive the status request data transmitted from the client system and, in response thereto, generate query data for the digital certificate status and provide the query data for transmission from the proxy system to the status provider system, and further operable to receive the status data from the status provider system, generate the digital certificate status data based on the status data received, and provide the digital certificate status data for transmission to the client system;

wherein the client system comprises a mobile device including a memory subsystem and operable to communicate with the proxy system over a wireless network, to receive data items over the wireless network, and to store the data items in the memory subsystem;

wherein the digital certificate status data comprises validity period data indicating a validity period for the digital certificate, and wherein the client module is further operable to periodically generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for transmission to the proxy system during the validity period of the digital certificate;

wherein the status request data is generated at the client system at predetermined times spaced at predetermined intervals or at user-configurable intervals; and

wherein the proxy system is operable to redirect a data item to the mobile device, and the proxy module is further operable to determine whether the data item includes a transmitted digital certificate and, upon a determination that the data item includes the transmitted digital certificate, to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the transmitted digital certificate for transmission to the status provider system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the transmitted digital certificate in response to the status request, and the proxy system is further operable to communicate with a plurality of status providers, thereby allowing the proxy system to redirect data items from the plurality of status providers to the mobile device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate status data comprises a subset of the status data received from the status provider system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the status request data comprises a subset of the query data.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the query data comprises an Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) query.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the digital certificate comprises a digital certificate chain of digital certificates, and wherein the status request data comprises data corresponding to each digital certificate in the digital certificate chain.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate status data transmitted from the proxy system comprises a valid indicator;

a revoked indicator, and an unknown indicator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the digital certificate is used to encode an outgoing message prior to sending of the message from the mobile device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy system is separate from the status provider system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the proxy system receives the status data from the status provider system using communication protocols other than Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP).

9. A method for handling digital certificate status request between a client system and a proxy system, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving at the proxy system digital certificate status request data transmitted from the client system;

generating query data for the digital certificate status in response to receiving the digital certificate status request data;

transmitting the query data to a status provider system;

receiving at the proxy system status data from the status provider system in response to the query data;

generating digital certificate status data based on the status data received; and

transmitting the digital certificate status data to the client system;

wherein the client system comprises a mobile device including a memory subsystem and operable to communicate with the proxy system over a wireless network, to receive data items over the wireless network, and to store the data items in the memory subsystem;

wherein the digital certificate status data comprises validity period data indicating a validity period for the digital certificate, and wherein the client module is further operable to periodically generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for transmission to the proxy system during the validity period of the digital certificate;

wherein the status request data is generated at the client system at predetermined times spaced at predetermined intervals or at user-configurable intervals; and

wherein the proxy system is operable to redirect a data item to the mobile device, and the proxy module is further operable to determine whether the data item includes a transmitted digital certificate and, upon a determination that the data item includes the transmitted digital certificate, to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the transmitted digital certificate for transmission to the status provider system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the transmitted digital certificate in response to the status request, and the proxy system is further operable to communicate with a plurality of status providers, thereby allowing the proxy system to redirect data items from the plurality of status providers to the mobile device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital certificate status data is a subset of the status data received from the status provider.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital certificate status request data comprises a subset of the query data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the query data for the digital certificate status comprises Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) query data.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital certificate is used to encode an outgoing message prior to sending of the message from the mobile device.

15. A system for determining a status of a digital certificate from status data stored in a status provider system comprising:

a client system comprising a client module, the client module operable to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the digital certificate for transmission from the client system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the digital certificate in response to the status request; and

a proxy system comprising a proxy module, the proxy module operable to receive the status request data transmitted from the client system and, in response thereto, generate query data for the digital certificate status and provide the query data for transmission from the proxy system to the status provider system, and further operable to receive the status data from the status provider system, generate the digital certificate status data based on the status data received, and provide the digital certificate status data for transmission to the client system;

wherein the client system comprises a mobile device including a memory subsystem and operable to communicate with the proxy system over a wireless network, to receive data items over the wireless network, and to store the data items in the memory subsystem;

wherein the digital certificate status data comprises validity period data indicating a validity period for the digital certificate, and wherein the client module is further operable to periodically generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for transmission to the proxy system during the validity period of the digital certificate;

wherein the status request data is generated at the client system at predetermined times spaced at predetermined intervals or at user-configurable intervals;

wherein the status request data is generated without requiring receipt of a message at the mobile device; and

wherein the proxy system is operable to redirect a data item to the mobile device, and the proxy module is further operable to determine whether the data item includes a transmitted digital certificate and, upon a determination that the data item includes the transmitted digital certificate, to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the transmitted digital certificate for transmission to the status provider system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the transmitted digital certificate in response to the status request, and the proxy system is further operable to communicate with a plurality of status providers, thereby allowing the proxy system to redirect data items from the plurality of status providers to the mobile device.

16. A method for handling digital certificate status request between a client system and a proxy system, the method comprising the acts of:

receiving at the proxy system digital certificate status request data transmitted from the client system;

generating query data for the digital certificate status in response to receiving the digital certificate status request data;

transmitting the query data to a status provider system;

receiving at the proxy system status data from the status provider system in response to the query data;

generating digital certificate status data based on the status data received; and

transmitting the digital certificate status data to the client system;

wherein the client system comprises a mobile device including a memory subsystem and operable to communicate with the proxy system over a wireless network, to receive data items over the wireless network, and to store the data items in the memory subsystem;

wherein the digital certificate status data comprises validity period data indicating a validity period for the digital certificate, and wherein the client module is further operable to periodically generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for transmission to the proxy system during the validity period of the digital certificate;

wherein the status request data is generated at the client system at predetermined times spaced at predetermined intervals or at user-configurable intervals;

wherein the status request data is generated without requiring receipt of a message at the mobile device; and

wherein the proxy system is operable to redirect a data item to the mobile device, and the proxy module is further operable to determine whether the data item includes a transmitted digital certificate and, upon a determination that the data item includes the transmitted digital certificate, to generate and provide status request data corresponding to a status request for the transmitted digital certificate for transmission to the status provider system, and to receive digital certificate status data for the transmitted digital certificate in response to the status request, and the proxy system is further operable to communicate with a plurality of status providers, thereby allowing the proxy system to redirect data items from the plurality of status providers to the mobile device.