Electronic Signature Token Private Key Backup via Dynamic Encryption Negotiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic signature tokens lack a method for efficiently backing up private keys, leading to increased maintenance costs and inconvenience when tokens are lost, as the original private key cannot be recovered.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for backing up a private key involves negotiating and using a matching code to determine encrypting and decrypting strategies between two electronic signature tokens, allowing secure transmission and storage of the private key through encrypted data packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic signature token stores the user's private key securely without any reading methods, then the security of authentication is ensured, but the private key cannot be obtained when the token is lost, requiring re-distribution of key information and increasing maintenance cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that stores backup information of the private key. When the electronic signature token is lost, this server acts as a mediator to provide the backup information, enabling key recovery without compromising the security of the token itself. The server serves as a safe intermediary storage location that resolves the contradiction between secure storage and recoverability.
2Device complexity
If the electronic signature token uses fixed encryption strategies, then the implementation is simple, but the communication safety between tokens is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic encryption strategies where the encryption method is not fixed but changes based on the communication context. Each electronic signature token negotiates its own encryption and decryption strategies with other tokens, creating a dynamic security framework. This dynamic approach enhances communication safety while maintaining reasonable implementation complexity through automated negotiation protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the encryption strategy by allowing each token to have its own unique encryption and decryption methods. Instead of using a uniform encryption approach across all tokens, the system varies the encryption parameters (algorithms, keys, modes) based on the specific token pair communicating, thereby enhancing security without significantly increasing complexity through standardized negotiation processes.
3Ease of operation
If the private key is distributed to multiple tokens for backup purposes, then the recoverability is improved, but the security risk of key exposure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as a secure intermediary that holds the backup information of the private key rather than distributing the actual private key to multiple tokens. This intermediary approach allows recovery capability while maintaining security, as the server-controlled backup mechanism prevents unauthorized access that would occur with direct key distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the private key information and stores it on a secure server rather than replicating the private key across multiple tokens. This copying approach enables recovery by retrieving the stored copy when needed, while avoiding the security risks associated with having multiple active copies of the private key distributed throughout the system.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are a method and system for backing up a private key in an electronic signature token, the method comprising: a first electronic signature token and a second electronic signature token negotiate an encryption strategy and a corresponding decryption strategy to use for communication therebetween; the first electronic signature token utilizes the encryption strategy to encrypt a request data packet and transmits the encrypted request data packet; the second electronic signature token decrypts the encrypted request data packet; the second electronic signature token utilizes the encryption strategy to encrypt a response data packet and transmits the encrypted responses data packet; and the first electronic signature token utilizes the decryption strategy to decrypt the response data packet, and acquires a private key from the response data packet.