Central Repository Server for Secure Public Key Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing-device communication systems lack robust security measures to protect electronic messages from unauthorized access, particularly in mobile device communications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a central repository server that generates, manages, and distributes public keys associated with user communication identifiers, enabling secure encryption and authentication of messages through multifactor authentication and symmetric key generation, preventing unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If public key distribution is implemented without centralized authentication, then communication security is improved, but system complexity increases due to key management overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a central repository server as an intermediary that stores and verifies public keys against authenticated user identifiers. This mediator resolves the contradiction by centralizing key management responsibilities, allowing secure communication without requiring each device to independently manage complex key verification processes. The server acts as a trusted third party that simplifies the key distribution infrastructure while maintaining security through centralized authentication.
2Reliability
If multiple authentication factors are required, then access security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional authentication steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs authentication actions in advance by verifying user identifiers and authenticating public keys before they are stored in the central repository. This preliminary authentication ensures that when users later access or distribute keys, the verification process is already complete, eliminating the need for real-time multi-factor authentication during key retrieval. The security is maintained through pre-validated associations between identifiers and public keys.
3Productivity
If public keys are stored in a central repository, then key distribution efficiency is improved, but vulnerability to centralized attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication and verification functions from the central repository, making them mandatory prerequisites for storing data in the repository. The server verifies user identifiers and authenticates public keys before storage, separating the authentication function from the storage function. This extraction ensures that even if the repository is compromised, the authenticated associations between identifiers and public keys remain secure, as the verification logic is embedded in the storage process itself.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, method of increasing security of computing-device mobile device communications comprising executing on one or more processors in a central repository server the step of obtaining a first user's public key. The first user's public key is one of a pair of certification keys generated by an application in a first user's computing device. The method includes the step of obtaining, from the first user via the first user's computing device, a set of first user's communication identifiers. The set of first user's communication identifier includes a first user's mobile device number, a first user's email address, or a first user's online social network identifier. The method includes the step of receiving a set of first user's communication identifiers from the first user via the first user's computing device. The method includes the step of generating one or more associations of the first user's public key with the set of first user's communication identifiers. With the one or more processors in the central repository server implementing delivery of the first user's public key to a second user's mobile device the method receives from another application operating in the second user's mobile device, a request for the first user's public key. The request includes at least one of the first user's communication identifiers. The method includes the step of retrieving the first user's public key, the set of first user's communication identifiers, and the association of the first user's public key with the set of first user's communication identifiers from the computer data store. The method includes the step of authenticating that the at least one of the first user's communication identifiers received from the other application is associated with the first user's public key using the retrieved associations of the first user's public key with the set of first user's communication identifiers from the computer data store. The method includes the step of communicating the first user's public key to the other application operating in the second user's mobile device.