Identify a secure end-to-end voice call

• US 7,852,783 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Narendra, Hosahalli Nanjappa, Kohli, Sandeep Singh, Kumarasamy, Parameswaran, Parameswaran, Kavithadevi, Tasker, Michael Edric
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Jr.; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/608,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20080141331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 380250-280, 370/230, 370/352, 370/395.2, 370/355, 370/389, 370/260, 370/252, 709/221, 709/220, 709/224, 709/228, 709/231
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]

Abstract

We describe a system embodiment comprising generating a Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP) encapsulated packet and including a secure media indicator into the SRTP encapsulated packet. The method further comprises inserting the SRTP encapsulated packet into an SRTP voice stream associated with an active call between a source and a destination endpoint and indicating an end-to-end secure call between the source and destination endpoints responsive to the secure media indicator.

And we describe a method embodiment comprising transmitting a request message from a source endpoint to a destination endpoint participating in an active call and setting a secure media flag in the request message at each node in a signaling path associated with the active call. The method further comprises returning a response message from the destination endpoint to the source endpoint responsive to the request and indicating an end-to-end secure call between the two endpoints.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

transmitting, from a source endpoint, a request message addressed to a destination endpoint participating in an active call, wherein the request message is transmitted over a path that extends through at least one intermediary node;

wherein the transmitted request message includes a setting configured to cause each intermediary node on the path to set a secure media flag in the request message according to whether such intermediary node operates in a secure mode;

receiving back a response message at the source endpoint identifying the secure media flag settings performed by the at least one intermediary node; and

indicating an end-to-end secure call between the source and destination endpoints of the active call according to the response message.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising transmitting the request message during one of initial call establishment, mid-call, or after call establishment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the request and response messages traverse a signaling path associated with the active call.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the end-to-end secure call includes enabling a secure call icon in the source or destination endpoints if the secure media flag indicates no non-secure segment in a signaling path between the source and destination endpoints.

5. Software encoded on one or more non-transitory computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

transmit, from a source endpoint, a request message addressed to a destination endpoint participating in an active call, wherein the request message is transmitted over a path that extends through at least one intermediary node;

wherein the transmitted request message includes a setting configured to cause each intermediary node on the path to set a secure media flag in the request message according to whether such intermediary node operates in a secure mode;

receive back a response message at the source endpoint identifying the secure media flag settings performed by the at least one intermediary node; and

indicate an end-to-end secure call between the source and destination endpoints of the active call according to the response message.

6. The software encoded on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the software encoded on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media when executed is further operable to display a secure call icon according to the response message.

7. The software encoded on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the request and response messages traverse a signaling path associated with the active call.

8. The software encoded on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the indication is by enabling a secure call icon in the source or destination endpoints if the secure media flag indicates no non-secure segment in a signaling path between the source and destination endpoints.

9. The software encoded on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the request and the response messages are sent according to the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).