Synchronizing certificates between a device and server

• US 7,953,971 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Adams, Neil P., Brown, Michael S., Brown, Michael K., Little, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moise; Emmanuel L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abyaneh; Ali S
• Application Number:
  US11/259,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,042 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156, 380/247, 380/270, 380/277, 726/2
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing messages within a wireless communications system are disclosed. A server within the wireless communications system maintains a list of certificates contained in devices that use the server. The server synchronizes or updates the list of certificates based on information contained in message to and from the device. By providing a server with certificates associated with devices that use the server, and providing a system and method for synchronizing the certificates between the device and server, the server can implement powerful features that will improve the efficiency, speed and user satisfaction of the devices. The exemplary embodiments also enable advantageous bandwidth savings by preventing transmission of certificates unnecessarily.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining on a server a list of certificates that are stored on a mobile device, the method comprising the server:

receiving a message from the mobile device, said message including certificate information of certificates stored on said mobile device to be synchronized with said list of certificates and a command directing the server to take a specific action with respect to said information to update said list of certificates; and

,

performing the action indicated by the command with respect to said information to maintain an updated list of certificates on the server;

said action including removing a portion of said message and updating said list of certificates based on said removed portion of said message and said command.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the mobile device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said action performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information based on said thumbprint to said list of certificates and removing certificate information based on said thumbprint from said list of certificates.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising said server providing a notification to said mobile device of said action taken to update said list of certificates.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the message comprises an S/MIME message.

6. A method for maintaining on a server a list of certificates that are stored on a mobile device, the method comprising the server:

receiving a message sent by said mobile device, the message including certificate information of certificates stored on said mobile device and a command directing the server to take specific action relating to said certificate information to update said list of certificates;

stripping said certificate information from said message; and

updating said list of certificates based upon said stripped certificate information and said command contained in said message.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said certificate information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the mobile device.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said updating performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information to said list of certificates and removing certificate information from said list of certificates.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing a notification to said mobile device of said action taken to update said list of certificates.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

11. A method for maintaining on a server a list of certificates that are stored on a mobile device, the method comprising the server:

receiving a message to be provided to the mobile device, said message including certificate information;

processing said message;

determining whether to strip said certificate information from said message;

when said server determines to strip said certificate information from said message, stripping said certificate information from said message and sending said message to said mobile device, updating said list of certificates with said certificate information and notifying said mobile device of said updating performed by said server;

when said server determines to leave said certificate information in said message, sending said message to said mobile device and notifying said mobile device that said certificate information was not stripped; and

,

when said server receives a notification of incorrect action from said mobile device, said server performing remedial action as specified in said notification to update said list of certificates to include certificates stored on said mobile device.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein updating said list of certificates includes at least one of adding or removing a certificate from said list.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein when said server improperly strips certificate information from said message, said notification comprises a message to said server, said message including the improperly stripped certificate and an instruction to update the list of certificates with said improperly stripped certificate.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein when said server improperly leaves certificate information in said message, said notification comprises a message to said server instructing said server to update the list with said improperly left certificate information.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

16. A system for synchronizing certificate information between a server and a mobile device, said system comprising:

said server for receiving and processing messages sent to and from said mobile device;

program logic resident on said server for maintaining on said server an updated list of certificate information for certificates stored on said mobile device by;

receiving a message from said mobile device, the message including certificate information and a command directing the server take specific action relating to said certificate information;

stripping said certificate information from said message; and

updating said list of certificates with said certificate information based on said command contained in said message.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said certificate information included in said message is a thumbprint of a certificate that is contained in the mobile device.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said updating performed at the server includes at least one of adding certificate information to said list of certificates and removing certificate information from said list of certificates.

19. The system according to claim 18, further comprising providing a notification to said mobile device of said action taken to update said list of certificates.

20. The system according to claim 16, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.

21. A system for synchronizing certificate information between a server and a mobile device, comprising:

said server for receiving and processing messages to be provided to, and received from, said mobile device;

program logic resident on said server for maintaining a list of certificates for certificates stored on said mobile device by;

receiving a message to be provided to said mobile device, said message including certificate information, determining whether to strip said certificate information from said message;

when said server determines to strip said certificate information from said message, stripping said certificate information from said message and sending said message to said mobile device, updating said list of certificates with said certificate information and notifying said mobile device of said updating performed by said server;

when said server determines to leave said certificate information in said message, passing said message to said mobile device and notifying said mobile device that said certificate information was not stripped;

program logic resident on said mobile device for determining, by said mobile device, if action taken by said server was correct; and

when said action taken by said server was incorrect, sending a notification of incorrect action to the server, and the mobile device instituting remedial action to ensure proper updating of said list of certificates.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein updating said list of certificates includes at least one of adding or removing a certificate from said list.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein when said server improperly strips certificate information from said message, said mobile device sends a message to said server, said message including the improperly stripped certificate and an instruction to update the list with said improperly stripped certificate.

24. The system according to claim 22, wherein when said server improperly leaves certificate information in said message, said mobile device sending a message to said server instructing said server to update the list with said improperly left certificate information.

25. The system according to claim 21, wherein said message comprises an S/MIME message.