Cryptographic Key Management via Signed Public Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face challenges in securely exchanging encryption keys, particularly in scenarios where secure key exchange is necessary, such as in access-controlled locations, without complicating the setup process.
Innovation Solution
A system that utilizes a short-range wireless interface to receive and transmit a pair of cryptographic keys, comprising a public key and a secret key, where the public key is cryptographically signed, facilitating the establishment of a cryptographic network protocol session by ensuring secure key exchange and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If symmetric key exchange is used for encryption, then security is improved, but key exchange complexity and security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a stationary device as an intermediary that stores and manages cryptographic key pairs. The mobile device receives a signed public key from this intermediary, which acts as a trusted mediator to enable secure communication without requiring direct secure key exchange between communicating parties.
Solution Approach 2:
The stationary device pre-generates and stores cryptographic key pairs before they are needed for communication. When a mobile device needs to communicate securely, it can obtain a pre-prepared signed public key from the stationary device, eliminating the need for complex real-time key exchange protocols.
2Reliability
If public key infrastructure is implemented, then secure communication is achieved, but authentication complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stationary device automatically performs cryptographic operations including key pair generation, digital signing of public keys, and verification. The mobile device simply receives and uses the pre-signed public key without needing to perform complex cryptographic operations or manage multiple certificates, making the system both secure and easy to use.
3Reliability
If cryptographic keys are stored securely, then security is improved, but accessibility and ease of use decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The cryptographic system is segmented into two parts: secret keys are securely stored in the stationary device and never leave it, while only public keys (which are useless without the corresponding secret key) are transmitted to mobile devices. This segmentation allows secure storage while maintaining ease of use, as the mobile device only needs to store and transmit public keys.
Data Source
AI summary
According to an example embodiment of the present invention there is provided an apparatus comprising a receiver configured to receive a pair of cryptographic keys comprising a public key and a secret key, the public key being cryptographically signed, a memory configured to store the secret key, and a transmitter configured to send the cryptographically signed public key to a correspondent node and participate in establishment of a cryptographic network protocol session based at least in part on the pair of cryptographic keys.