Hybrid Key Encryption for Secure Messaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional store and forward messaging systems in open networks lack secure key management and verification, particularly in symmetric key encryption systems, where sharing and distributing keys securely between senders and receivers is challenging, and in identity-based cryptography, where verifying the identity of recipients and revoking revoked identities is difficult.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that select and encrypt messages with a cryptographic key, further encrypting the key and the recipient's identifier using an identity-based or public key cryptographic algorithm, allowing secure transmission and decryption without relying on a key distribution server, utilizing a processor and transceiver to manage and authenticate cryptographic keys within a communication system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If symmetric key encryption is used to encrypt messages, then message confidentiality is improved, but key distribution and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a key distribution server as an intermediary entity that facilitates secure key exchange between communicating parties. The server generates and distributes cryptographic keys to users, eliminating the need for direct peer-to-peer key sharing and simplifying key management infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables users to autonomously retrieve their cryptographic keys from the key distribution server using their identity information, without requiring manual key distribution or complex key management procedures. Users simply authenticate and receive their keys on-demand.
2Ease of operation
If asymmetric key encryption is used for key distribution, then key management is improved, but computational overhead and message encryption complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the encryption process into two distinct stages: key distribution using asymmetric encryption and message encryption using symmetric encryption. This segmentation allows each encryption type to be used for its optimal purpose, reducing overall computational overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs key distribution and exchange before the actual message encryption process. By establishing the symmetric encryption keys in advance through the key distribution server, the computationally intensive asymmetric encryption is only used once per communication session rather than for every message.
3Measurement precision
If identity-based cryptography is used to verify recipient identity, then recipient verification is improved, but system complexity and revocation process difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The key distribution server acts as a trusted intermediary that binds recipient identities to their cryptographic keys. The server maintains the relationship between identity information and private keys, simplifying the verification process and enabling centralized management of identity-based cryptography.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a revocation mechanism where the key distribution server can invalidate compromised or revoked identities by updating its records. When an identity is revoked, the server can no longer issue valid keys for that identity, providing automatic feedback and revocation capability without complex external processes.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising a processor, the processor configured to select a first cryptographic key, encrypt a message with the first cryptographic key to produce a first encrypted message, and further encrypt the first cryptographic key and an identifier of a second apparatus with a first encryption key to form a second encrypted message.