VoIP Adapter Secure Configuration File Exchange
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current VoIP systems lack comprehensive and effective secure configuration file exchange due to inadequate encryption key management, with single key usage compromising security and increased burden on service providers and CPE servers, especially when using protocols like HTTPS or TFTP.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for providing secure configuration file exchange using a unique encryption key, where a VoIP adapter downloads and decrypts configuration files using a default key, then updates to a new key and URL, providing a secondary layer of security and reducing the risk of key leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a single encryption key is used to encrypt configuration files sent to all CPE devices, then the encryption process is simple and efficient, but the security of the system is compromised because the key must be burned into every VoIP adapter before shipping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single encryption key into multiple segments or parts, where each CPE device receives a different portion or derivative of the key. This segmentation allows each device to have its own unique key material without requiring the complete key to be pre-loaded into every device, thus maintaining security while simplifying the manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (such as a key distribution server or certificate authority) that securely delivers the encryption key or key material to CPE devices after manufacturing. This intermediary allows the key to be transmitted securely through the network without requiring pre-loading into every device during the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If HTTPS protocol is used to provide secure configuration file exchange, then security is improved, but the processing burden on VoIP adapters and CPE provision servers increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the encryption scheme by using symmetric encryption with pre-shared keys or simplified cryptographic parameters that reduce computational overhead. This allows secure configuration file exchange without the heavy processing requirements of full HTTPS/TLS implementation, thus maintaining security while reducing device complexity and processing burden.
3Reliability
If encryption keys are burned into every VoIP adapter before shipping, then configuration file security is maintained, but the burden on service providers increases to ensure proper shipping and handling of adapters with sensitive keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the encryption key from the physical device during manufacturing, so that the key is not permanently embedded in the VoIP adapter. Instead, the key is stored securely on the service provider's servers and delivered to devices through secure network channels. This extraction eliminates the need for secure physical handling and shipping of devices with embedded keys, while maintaining key confidentiality through secure digital distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for providing secure configuration file exchange is disclosed. The system may include a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) device having a receiver and a processor, and the VoIP device may be configured to: receive, at the receiver, an encrypted first configuration file from a server using a default Uniform Resource Locator (URL) stored in the VoIP device; decrypt, at the processor, the first configuration file using a default key stored in the VoIP device; apply, at the processor, a first set of profile parameters stored in the first configuration file, and the step of applying may include updating the default URL and the default key in the VoIP device with a new URL and a new key stored in the first configuration file; receive, at the receiver, an encrypted second configuration file from the server using the new URL; decrypt, at the processor, the second configuration file using the new key; and apply, at the processor, a second set of profile parameters stored in the second configuration file in order to provide network service from the server to a customer premise equipment (CPE) communicatively coupled to the VoIP device.