Cryptographic Communication Binding via Hierarchical Key Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secure communication systems face challenges in ensuring the authenticity of communication sessions and protecting data from unauthorized access, particularly in person-to-person and session-based communications.
Innovation Solution
The Constructive Key Management (CKM) Identity System (CKM IDS) creates cryptographic bindings between communication parties, using a method that involves assigning attributes, combining them to create communication keys, and performing key-rolling operations to ensure secure and authenticated person-to-person communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cryptographic key management is used, then communication security is provided, but key distribution and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication parties into groups with assigned group keys, and further segments individual communications within groups using unique session keys. This hierarchical key structure divides the overall key management problem into manageable layers: group-level key distribution and individual-level session key generation, reducing the complexity of managing keys for all possible party pairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary key distribution by assigning group keys to groups before communications occur. This advance preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time key negotiation between individual parties, as the foundational key structure is already in place when communication sessions are initiated.
2Reliability
If cryptographic keys are distributed to all parties, then communication privacy is ensured, but the risk of key compromise increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting key distribution into group keys and session-specific keys, the patent limits the scope of potential compromise. If a session key is compromised, only that specific communication is affected, not all communications involving the parties. Similarly, if a group key is compromised, only communications within that group are affected, isolating the harm to specific segments rather than the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different key types with different security characteristics to different communication contexts. Group keys provide baseline security for group communications, while unique session keys provide enhanced security for individual message exchanges. This local differentiation of key quality allows the system to provide appropriate security levels for each communication scenario while minimizing overall key exposure.
3Reliability
If unique session keys are generated for each communication, then communication authenticity is improved, but key generation and management overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary distribution of group keys and communication party assignments before unique session keys are needed. This advance preparation of the key infrastructure allows session keys to be generated efficiently during actual communications by combining pre-distributed group keys with communication-specific parameters, rather than creating entirely new keys from scratch for each message.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges pre-distributed group keys with communication-specific identifiers and parameters to generate unique session keys. This combining approach leverages the security and distribution efficiency of group keys while incorporating the uniqueness requirements of individual sessions, achieving both authenticity and operational efficiency through key composition rather than key creation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of cryptographically binding communication parties includes assigning attributes to parties, and performing a combine operation including creating communication keys. Data is encrypted using a session key. A recombine operation includes receiving output parameters, along with the session key if the parameters are validated. A cryptographic communication binder includes an attribute mixer configured to assign attributes to the parties, and a combiner configured to create communication keys. A communication key generator is configured to combine attributes to create the session key. A first cryptographic engine is configured to encrypt data using the session key and create output parameters. A recombiner is configured to receive the output parameters and identity attribute, validate the parameters, and identify and validate the originator. A second cryptographic engine is configured to receive the encrypted data and session key, if validating and identifying were successful, and to decrypt the encrypted data using the session key.