Secure time-to-live

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10567349-B2
Application number	US-201414314018-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Feb 18, 2020
Grant date	Feb 18, 2020

Abstract

Determining whether to allow access to a message is disclosed. A message is received from a sender. The message is associated with a first time-to-live (TTL) value. A determination is made that the first time-to-live value has not been exceeded. The determination is made at least in part by obtaining an external master clock time. In response to the determination, access is allowed to the message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computing device comprising:
an interface configured to:
receive a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;
one or more processors;
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
determine an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;
transmit the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of the computing device;
obtain, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;
compare the second current time to the expiration time; and
allow, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first time-to-live value is configurable by the sender of the communication.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:
decrypt the communication when allowing access.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein allowing access to the communication comprises displaying the communication.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:
deny access to the communication based on a determination that the second current time is greater than the expiration time.

6. The computing device of claim 5 wherein ceasing denying access to the communication comprises deleting the communication.

7. The computing device of claim 5 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting a key configured to decrypt the communication.

8. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the communication comprises an embargo time.

9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to:
deny, based on a determination that a third current time is less than the embargo time, access to the communication.

10. A method comprising:
receiving, at a first device, a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;
determining an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;
transmitting the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of the first device;
obtaining, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;
comparing the second current time to the expiration time; and
allowing, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
denying access to the communication based on a determination is that the second current time is greater than the expiration time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting the communication.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein denying access to the communication comprises deleting a key configured to decrypt the communication.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first current time is obtained from an external source.

15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the second current time is obtained from an external source.

16. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:
receiving a communication, wherein the communication comprises a time-to-live value;
determining an expiration time of the communication by adding the time-to-live value to a first current time;
transmitting the expiration time to one or more devices associated with a user of a first device;
obtaining, based on a request to access the communication, a second current time;
comparing the second current time to the expiration time; and
allowing, based on a determination that the second current time is less than the expiration time, access to the communication.

Assignees

• Wickr Inc

Inventors

• Statica Robert
• Howell Christopher A
• Coppa Kara Lynn

Classifications

• H04L45/20

  Hop count for routing purposes, e.g. TTL · CPC title

• H04L63/065

  for group communications (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833) · CPC title

• H04L63/068

  using time-dependent keys, e.g. periodically changing keys (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for controlling usage of secret information H04L9/088) · CPC title

• H04L63/083

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• G06F21/6218

  to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database · CPC title