Secure Communication Channel via Public Key Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication methods over public networks lack privacy and authentication, particularly in browser-to-browser communication using WebRTC, where intermediaries may not be trusted, potentially allowing third-party interception and tampering.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to establish a communication channel between devices using intermediate devices, where offer and answer data packets include public key identifiers, allowing verification of the relationship between the identifiers and providing warnings if mismatches are detected, ensuring secure communication through fingerprint verification and the use of federated or delegated identity management systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If third party web applications are used as intermediaries for communication channel initialization, then ease of establishing browser-to-browser communication is improved, but security and trustworthiness deteriorate due to untrusted intermediaries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses public key infrastructure as an intermediary mechanism where third-party web applications act as mediators to facilitate communication channel establishment. The intermediaries help match users and establish connections without having access to or control over the actual communication content, thus maintaining ease of operation while preserving security through cryptographic verification.
2Productivity
If public networks are used for communication, then convenience and speed of communication are improved, but privacy and authentication deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by performing authentication and privacy protection measures before actual communication occurs. Public key certificates and cryptographic protocols are established in advance to prevent unauthorized access and ensure privacy, allowing fast communication over public networks without compromising security.
3Ease of operation
If intermediaries are introduced for communication channel establishment, then ease of operation is improved, but vulnerability to third-party interception worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication and verification functions from the communication channel establishment process itself, placing them in separate cryptographic protocols. This allows intermediaries to facilitate connection setup while the actual security verification is performed independently through public key exchange and certificate validation, removing the vulnerability to interception.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of establishing a communication channel between a first device and a second device via at least one intermediate device. The method comprises, at the first device generating an offer data packet comprising an address of the second device, the address of the second device comprising a first identifier indicating a public key associated with the second device; transmitting the offer data packet to a first intermediate device for transmission to the second device based upon the address of the second device included in the offer data packet, receiving an answer data packet via the first intermediate device, the answer data packet comprising network information associated with the second device, establishing a communication channel with the second device based on the network information received in the answer data packet, receiving over the communication channel a first handshake data packet comprising a public key, calculating a second identifier based upon the public key within the first handshake data packet and comparing the first identifier with the second identifier; and providing a warning if a relationship between the first identifier and the second identifier is not an expected relationship.