Hierarchical Wallet Key Derivation for Offline Secure Communication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secure communication methods, such as identity-based cryptography, require significant memory storage for public keys and rely on a centralized trusted authority, which is a security risk.
Innovation Solution
A method using a deterministic hierarchical wallet with asymmetric master keys, where identifiers and encryption keys are deterministically derived, allowing secure communication with minimal memory storage and offline configuration, using a decentralized approach.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If identity-based cryptography is used to simplify key management, then each device can store only identifiers in memory, but a centralized trusted authority is required which creates a security vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized trusted authority from the system by implementing a decentralized key derivation mechanism where each device independently generates its own key pair and derives identifiers, eliminating the security vulnerability while maintaining simplified key management
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the key management function by allowing each device to independently manage its own key pair and derive identifiers locally, rather than relying on a centralized authority, thus distributing the security function across multiple independent units
2Reliability
If public key infrastructure is used to secure communications, then security is maintained, but each device must distribute and store numerous public keys increasing memory requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the identifier multi-functional by using it both as a unique device identifier and as a public key for cryptographic operations, eliminating the need to store separate public keys while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the identifier and public key into a single cryptographic element, where the identifier serves dual purposes as both a unique device label and a public key for encryption and verification operations
3Ease of operation
If a centralized trusted authority generates private keys for user devices, then key management is simplified, but the authority becomes a major point of compromise for security
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service key management where each device independently generates its own private key and derives its own identifier, eliminating the need for a centralized authority and thus the associated security risk while maintaining operational simplicity
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for secure communication between a sending peer (3) and a receiving peer (4) and involving an external actor (2) having a deterministic hierarchical wallet (1) comprising a pair of master keys kmaster and Kmaster. The external actor (2) configures (104) the receiving peer (4) by recording in its electronic memory an IBE decryption key aDKey[Idj,kmaster]. The external actor (2) configures (105) the sending peer (3) by recording in its electronic memory an index j of the receiving peer and the master public key Kmaster. The sending peer (3) determines (106) in a deterministic manner an identifier Idj of the receiving peer, then calculates (107) an IBE encryption key aCKey[Idj,Kmaster]. The sending peer (3) encrypts (108) a message (60) using the key aCKey[Idj, Kmaster] and sends (109) the encrypted message (61) to the receiving peer (4). The receiving peer (4) decrypts (110) the message using the key aDKey[Idj, kmaster].