Method and system for the supply of data, transactions and electronic voting

• US 8,660,958 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dare, Peter Roy, Owlett, John, Tyabji, Imran Faiz
• Primary Examiner(s): KUCAB, JAMIE R
• Application Number:
  US12/824,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/463 Electronic voting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/608 Watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/045 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 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]

Abstract

A method and system for supply of data, including generating a first digital certificate referred (empowerment certificate) signed with a first signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. The empowerment certificate includes attributes of the described entity, information identifying the first signing entity, indication of data relating to the described entity, indication of a source of the data, and identification of a relying entity to which the data can be supplied. The relying entity forwards the empowerment certificate to a source supplying the data indicated in the empowerment certificate. The data may be supplied to the relying entity by a second digital certificate (custom certificate), signed with a second signing entity'"'"'s electronic signature. Custom certificates may appear in custom certificate revocation lists. A system and method for transfer of ownership of electronic property from a first entity to a second entity, and a method and system for electronic voting are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for electronic voting in which there are an authentication body, a counting body, and a plurality of voters, the method comprising:

a voter generates a digital empowerment certificate including;

an indication of identification data which is to be supplied to the authentication body to identify the voter uniquely,

references to one or more sources for the identification data or the identification data itself, and

an indication of a voting key;

the voter signs the digital empowerment certificate with a digital signature;

the digital empowerment certificate is encrypted with a key of the authentication body only;

the voter generates a voting message including a vote;

the voting message is encrypted with a key of the counting body only; and

a signature block is generated combining the digital empowerment certificate and the voting message;

wherein the method further comprises sending the encrypted digital empowerment certificate, the encrypted voting message and the signature block to the authentication body.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the digital empowerment certificate includes an indication of the identification data and confirmation of the voter'"'"'s right to vote and references to one or more sources that can provide the identification data and the confirmation.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification data is comprised of a name of the voter and other identification data of the voter.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the identification data and the indication of the identification data and references are included in the digital empowerment certificate.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the identification data includes one or more of:

name, address, date of birth, nationality, length of residence, non-membership of prohibited classes of the voter.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voter includes a nonce in the voting message in the form of an identifier applied by the voter to identify his vote.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voter includes a random number in the voting message.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the key of the authentication body used to encrypt the digital empowerment certificate is a public key of a public/private confidentiality key pair of the authentication body.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the key of the counting body used to encrypt the voting message is a public key of a public/private confidentiality key pair of the counting body.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein an integrity block is formed by obtaining a digest of the encrypted digital empowerment certificate, obtaining a digest of the encrypted voting message and combining the digests.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the digests are combined, a further digest obtained from the combination and the resultant digest is encrypted.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the digest is encrypted using a private key of a public/private signature key pair that the voter is using for voting to provide the signature block.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voting key is a public key of a public/private signature key pair that the voter is using for voting.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the authentication body confirms that the digital empowerment certificate and the encrypted voting message are as the voter sent them and are linked by the signature block.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the authentication body:

decrypts the digital empowerment certificate and obtains the voting key;

uses the voting key to decrypt the signature block; and

combines the encrypted digital empowerment certificate and the encrypted voting message using the same method as the voter and compares the result with the decrypted signature block.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a serial number for the voter is issued by the authentication body.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the authentication body constructs a message including:

the voter'"'"'s serial number, a digest of the digital empowerment certificate, the voting key, the message being encrypted by the authentication body.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the authentication body sends the message, the encrypted voting message and the signature block to the counting body.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the counting body decrypts the message and uses the digest of the encrypted digital empowerment certificate and voting key from the message to confirm that the voting message is an unchanged original vote which has been assigned a serial number by the authentication body.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the counting body decrypts and records the voter'"'"'s vote.