Parallel Secret Salt Authentication for Encrypted Key Exchange

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Symmetric encryption technologies require sharing secret keys between communicating systems, which creates vulnerabilities during the communication process.

Innovation Solution

Implement a system where shared secret values are dynamically generated by the communicating systems using a shared secret master key, eliminating the need for permanent storage or transmission of the secret value, and incorporating message authentication codes to ensure secure communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If symmetric encryption keys are shared between communicating systems, then encryption functionality is enabled, but security vulnerabilities arise during key transmission and storage

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidkey exposure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary key establishment through public key exchange before symmetric encryption begins. The ephemeral key pairs are generated in advance for each communication session, and the shared secret is established beforehand through secure key agreement protocols, eliminating the need to transmit symmetric keys during communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic key generation where ephemeral key pairs are created for each communication session rather than using static keys. The symmetric encryption key is dynamically derived from the ephemeral key agreement, ensuring that keys change continuously and cannot be reused, thereby preventing key exposure risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of operation

If shared secret values are stored permanently in systems, then authentication is simplified, but the risk of key discovery by attackers increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication simplicityVSAvoidkey discovery risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses ephemeral key pairs that are generated for each communication session and then discarded. These temporary keys serve the purpose of authentication and encryption for that specific session only, after which they are destroyed. This disposable approach eliminates the need for permanent storage of secret values while maintaining authentication simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the temporal parameter of key validity from permanent to ephemeral. Keys are generated with specific validity periods tied to communication sessions, automatically expiring after use. This parameter change from static to dynamic key validity reduces storage requirements and eliminates long-term key exposure risks while maintaining ease of authentication through automated key management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If message authentication codes are implemented, then message integrity is ensured, but computational overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage integrityVSAvoidcomputational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges the key agreement protocol with the authentication mechanism by using the same ephemeral key pair for both establishing secure communication and generating message authentication codes. This combination eliminates the need for separate authentication keys and procedures, reducing computational overhead while ensuring message integrity through the authenticated encryption process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20250343674A1Parallel secret salt generation and authentication for encrypted communication

Publication Date: 2025.11.06 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

In a method of facilitating encrypted communications between a transmitting system having a unique identifier and a receiving system, a key generation system generates at least one encryption master key for use with the unique identifier and an encryption algorithm to produce a transmitting system-unique encryption key. The key generation system also generates a shared secret master key for use with the unique identifier and a second encryption algorithm to produce a shared secret value. The at least one encryption master key and the shared secret master key are then stored in an encryption information database. The key generation system transmits the at least one encryption master key and shared secret information to the transmitting system and transmits the at least one encryption master key, the shared secret master key and the unique identifier to the receiving data processing system.