Secure distribution of non-privileged authentication credentials

• US 9,338,153 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: McFarland, Keith A., Ghozati, Kambiz, Stevens, John, Wells, Wiliam P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Armouche, Hadi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Cheng-Feng
• Application Number:
  US13/860,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20130291078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols

Abstract

An authentication credentials push service (ACPS) that securely pushes non-privileged authentication credentials to registered client entities. The ACPS comprises a classification server and a push server to provide access to non-privileged authentication credentials absent a pull transaction. The classification server in the ACPS classifies authentication credentials as either privileged (i.e. private, forgeable) or non-privileged (i.e. non-forgeable, non-sensitive). Credentials identified as being of a privileged nature are treated with restricted access. Alternatively, credentials classified as being of a non-privileged nature are made available for the push service. Authentication servers register with the ACPS to become consumers of the push service. A push server within the ACPS pushes non-privileged authentication credentials to registered authentication servers at predetermined intervals. Individual authentication credentials push services (ACPS) have access to different authentication credentials. An authentication server can use a dynamic name service (DNS) lookup to find a specific authentication credentials push service (ACPS).

Claims

1. A method of receiving authenticating credentials without requiring a pull transaction, comprising:

requesting, from a physical credentials database of authentication credentials, by a physical authentication credentials push server, said authentication credentials including privileged authentication credentials and non-privileged authentication credentials;

registering, in a physical registration database, a plurality of non-requesting physical authentication servers registered for receipt of a non-requested push of non-privileged authentication credential data from said physical authentication credentials push server, said push being performed absent a pull transaction by at least one non-requesting physical authentication server receiving said non-privileged authentication credentials;

distinguishing, by said physical authentication credentials push server, between privileged and non-privileged authentication credentials within said physical credentials database; and

pushing at predetermined intervals, from said physical authentication credentials push server, said non-privileged authentication credentials to said at least one non-requesting physical authentication server.

2. The method of receiving authenticating credentials without requiring a pull transaction according to claim 1, wherein said privileged authentication credentials comprise:

private, forgeable information.

3. The method of receiving authenticating credentials without requiring a pull transaction according to claim 1, wherein said non-privileged authentication credentials comprise:

non-sensitive, non-forgeable information.

4. The method of receiving authenticating credentials according to claim 1, further comprising:

restricting access to said privileged authentication credentials.

5. The method of receiving authenticating credentials according to claim 1, further comprising:

registering said physical authentication credentials push server with a domain name service (DNS) system.

6. The method of receiving authenticating credentials according to claim 1, further comprising:

communicating via a domain name service (DNS) lookup to acquire information sufficient to connect with said physical authentication credentials push server.