Ephemeral Session Key Exchange for Reduced Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cryptographic protocols like SSL and TLS face inefficiencies due to high overhead and latency in key exchange processes, particularly in maintaining secure key exchange and forward secrecy, especially when asymmetric key encryption is used.
Innovation Solution
The method generates ephemeral session keys using a common key derivation function on both computers, allowing encrypted key generation responses to be exchanged, which enables secure cryptographic information exchange without repeated key exchanges, thereby reducing data transfer and computational resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If asymmetric key encryption is used for secure key exchange, then security is improved, but computational overhead and latency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs key exchange and session establishment in advance before actual data transfer begins. The first data packet contains encrypted session information that enables subsequent packets to be processed without additional key exchange operations, effectively preparing the cryptographic framework beforehand to avoid latency during active communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses encryption keys and session information from previously established secure connections to create derived keys for new sessions. Instead of performing full asymmetric key exchange for every connection, the system copies and derives cryptographic materials from existing trusted sessions, significantly reducing computational overhead while maintaining security through key derivation functions.
2Reliability
If asymmetric key encryption is used for secure key exchange, then security is improved, but data transfer overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the key exchange operation from every data packet and consolidates it into a preliminary session establishment phase. By taking out the asymmetric encryption operations and performing them only once during session initialization, the system eliminates redundant data transfer overhead in subsequent packets while maintaining the security benefits of asymmetric key exchange.
Solution Approach 2:
Session information including encryption keys and authentication data is exchanged and established in advance within the first data packet. This preliminary action ensures that all subsequent data transfer can proceed using efficient symmetric encryption without repeating the bulky asymmetric key exchange process, thereby reducing overall data transfer overhead.
3Reliability
If SSL/TLS handshaking is performed for each connection, then secure key exchange is achieved, but communication efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes a continuous session state that persists across multiple data packets and connections. Once a secure session is initiated, the cryptographic context and keys remain valid for subsequent communications without requiring repeated handshaking. This continuity allows the useful action of encrypted communication to proceed without interruption from repeated key exchange protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The first data packet performs the function of traditional SSL/TLS handshake by establishing session keys and authentication in advance. This preliminary key exchange creates a persistent session state that eliminates the need for repeated handshaking in subsequent packets, thereby maintaining secure key exchange while dramatically improving communication efficiency for ongoing data transfer.
4Productivity
If session resurrection is enabled in TLS, then efficiency is improved, but sessions are still prone to timing out and requiring full handshake
Solution Approach 1:
The system includes mechanisms for detecting lost or timed-out sessions and automatically initiating re-synchronization without requiring full handshake protocols. The apparatus can self-diagnose session validity issues and self-correct by performing targeted key refresh operations only when necessary, rather than relying on proactive session resurrection that may fail due to timing issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by computers includes exchanging a key between a first user and a second user. Ephemeral session keys are generated. The ephemeral session keys are generated by a first computer associated with the first user and a second computer associated with the second user. An encrypted key generation response is exchanged between the first computer and the second computer. A new session request is received. It is determined that there is a valid session state. It is confirmed that there is a valid user. It is determined that there is a valid session identification. Information between the first computer and the second computer is cryptographically exchanged in response to the valid session state, the valid user and the valid session identification.