Hop-by-Hop RSA Encryption for Switched Network Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network security in switched networks is inadequate as it either relies on end-to-end encryption or no encryption at all, providing multiple opportunities for hackers to exploit the same encryption scheme across intervening switches and nodes.
Innovation Solution
Implementing RSA security on a hop-by-hop basis in switched networks, using RSA tokens and adjacency tables to configure encryption settings for each device, allowing for customizable security modes such as 'RSA null', 'RSA for all', 'all switch-on-switch', and 'selective switch-on-switch', ensuring secure data transmission between nodes and switches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If end-to-end encryption is used in switched networks, then data security is improved, but the same encryption scheme is vulnerable to hacking at multiple points (switches and nodes)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the end-to-end encryption into multiple hop-by-hop encryption stages. Each switch and node in the network path performs encryption/decryption with its adjacent neighbors using separate key pairs, breaking the single encryption scheme into multiple independent segments that protect against centralized hacking vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by assigning different encryption key pairs to different hops in the network. Each adjacent pair of nodes/switches uses its own unique public-private key combination, creating locally optimized security that varies across the network path rather than using a uniform encryption scheme
2Reliability
If RSA security is implemented hop-by-hop with tokens and adjacency tables, then security vulnerabilities are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring RSA key pairs and adjacency tables in each device before network operation. The tokens and cryptographic parameters are established in advance, allowing devices to automatically perform hop-by-hop encryption without real-time configuration complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces tokens as intermediary elements that facilitate RSA security implementation. These tokens act as mediators that simplify the interaction between devices by encapsulating cryptographic state and configuration information, reducing the complexity of direct device-to-device key management
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are described for enhanced security in a switched network using RSA security between hops of a transmission path of a data frame from an origination node to a destination node, via one or more intervening switches. Each switch and node in a switched network can be configured for “RSA security enabled” or “RSA security disabled.” RSA security can be enabled, or disabled, for the whole network. RSA security can be enabled for all switches (but not nodes) or selectively enabled for switches. If two adjacent devices (nodes or switches) have RSA security enabled, then an RSA secure frame is generated to transmit data on that hop of a transmission path between an originating node and destination node. RSA encryption keys can be different for each hop on the transmission path. RSA token seeds can be regenerated periodically to increase the difficulty of learning an encryption key for any hop.