Protected Key Identifier for Confidential Communication Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standard key agreement protocols reveal information about identities and protocol types, making it easier for attackers to trace sender and receiver activities and design targeted attacks.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that includes protected key identifiers in request and response messages to maintain confidentiality, using blinded keys and encryption to obscure key information, ensuring only the intended parties can determine the appropriate keys for encryption and decryption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard key agreement protocols are used, then communication efficiency is maintained, but key information and identity data are revealed to attackers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces protected key identifiers as an intermediary element that mediates between the communicating parties without revealing actual key information. These identifiers act as proxies that allow key selection and communication establishment while maintaining confidentiality of the underlying cryptographic keys and protocol details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates protected copies of key identifiers that resemble the original key information but do not contain the actual sensitive data. These protected identifiers are transmitted instead of real key information, allowing the system to function while preventing attackers from obtaining actual key material.
2Reliability
If key information is concealed in messages, then attacker opportunities are reduced, but message complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key agreement process into distinct components: key selection, identifier protection, and message transmission. By separating these functions and handling them independently, the system manages complexity while maintaining security. The protected identifier mechanism handles the confidential aspect without complicating the overall protocol flow.
3Reliability
If protected key identifiers are used, then key confidentiality is maintained, but information about protocol type is still revealed
Solution Approach 1:
The protected key identifier serves as an intermediary that masks not only key information but also protocol-specific details. By using a standardized identifier format that works across different protocol types, the system prevents attackers from inferring protocol information while maintaining the ability to establish secure communications.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for confidential communication management. For instance, a server computer can include a protected server key identifier in a response message to a client computer. The protected server key identifier can include a server key identifier that identifies a server private key used to encrypt the response message. The client computer can pass the protected server key back in a subsequent request, so that the server computer can identify the proper server private key to use for decrypting the request message. In another example, a message may include encrypted protocol data (e.g., cipher suite) and separately encrypted payload data. The encrypted payload data can include a plurality of individually encrypted payload data elements.