Method and apparatus for synchronizing an adaptable security level in an electronic communication

• US 9,774,609 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Struik, Marinus
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, KENNETH W
• Application Number:
  US14/991,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20160127385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 at the data link layer

Abstract

A method of communicating in a secure communication system, comprises the steps of assembling as message at a sender, then determining a security level, and including an indication of the security level in a header of the message. The message is then sent to a recipient.

Claims

1. A method of communicating in a secure communication system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;

receiving, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and

transmitting a frame including data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the information identifies a set of expected security levels, the method further comprising receiving a result of an ordering of the set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a frame from another of the plurality of correspondents.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.

7. A computer program product encoded on a tangible, non-transitory storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

transmitting, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;

receiving, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and

transmitting a frame including data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the information identifies a set of expected security levels, the method further comprising receiving a result of an ordering of the set.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein operations further comprise receiving a frame from another of the plurality of correspondents.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the information includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.

13. A computing device in a communication network, the computing device comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;

a receiver configured to receive, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and

the transmitter further configured to transmit a frame including data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the information identifies a set of expected security levels, the receiver further configured to receive a result of an ordering of the set.

15. The computing device of claim 14, wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.

16. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the receiver further configured to receive a frame from another of the plurality of correspondents.

17. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the information includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.

18. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.