Systems and methods for securing videoconferencing meetings

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11765143-B2
Application number	US-202117327248-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2021
Priority date	May 21, 2021
Publication date	Sep 19, 2023
Grant date	Sep 19, 2023

Abstract

One disclosed example involves a client device joining a videoconferencing meeting in which there is end-to-end encryption, where the end-to-end encryption is implemented by the client devices participating in the meting using a meeting key provided by the meeting host. Thereafter, the client device receives a public key of an asymmetric key pair corresponding to the host of the meeting, where the public key is different from the meeting key. The client device then generates a security code based on the public key and output the security code on a display device. The security code can be compared to another security code generated by another client device participating in the meeting to verify if the meeting is secure. The client device may also receive encrypted videoconferencing data, decrypt it using the meeting key, and output the decrypted videoconferencing data on the display device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A client device comprising:
a display device;
a processor communicatively coupled to the display device; and
a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code for a videoconferencing application that is executable by the processor to cause the client device to:
join a videoconferencing meeting in which there is end-to-end encryption between client devices participating in the videoconferencing meeting, wherein the end-to-end encryption is implemented by the client devices using a meeting key provided by a host of the videoconferencing meeting;
after joining the videoconferencing meeting, receive a public key of an asymmetric key pair corresponding to the host of the videoconferencing meeting, the public key being different from the meeting key;
generate a security code based on the public key;
output the security code on the display device for comparison to another security code generated by another client device participating in the videoconferencing meeting to verify that the videoconferencing meeting is secure;
receive encrypted videoconferencing data from one or more of the client devices participating in the videoconferencing meeting; and
decrypt the encrypted videoconferencing data using the meeting key and output the decrypted videoconferencing data on the display device.

2. The client device of claim 1 , wherein a discrepancy between the security code and the other security code is indicative of a cybersecurity vulnerability relating to the videoconferencing meeting.

3. The client device of claim 1 , wherein the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to, subsequent to outputting the security code:
receive an audio input from a microphone associated with the client device, the audio input indicating the security code; and
transmit the audio input to the other client device.

4. The client device of claim 1 , wherein the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to generate the security code at least in part by:
applying a first function to the public key to generate a transformed key;
applying a second function to a predefined text string to generate a transformed string;
applying a third function to the transformed key and the transformed string to generate a transformed code; and
generating the security code based on the transformed code.

5. The client device of claim 4 , wherein the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to generate the security code based on the transformed code at least in part by extracting a predefined number of decimal digits from the transformed code, the predefined number of decimal digits serving as the security code.

6. The client device of claim 4 , wherein the first function, the second function, and the third function are a same function.

7. The client device of claim 1 , wherein the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to:
perform a handshake with a video conference provider to access the videoconferencing meeting, wherein the handshake involves handshake data being transmitted between the client device and the video conference provider; and
generate the security code based at least in part on the public key and the handshake data.

8. The client device of claim 7 , wherein the handshake data includes another public key associated with a user of the client device, a unique identifier of the videoconferencing meeting, or a passcode.

9. The client device of claim 1 , wherein the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to:
request the public key from a key management system that is separate from the client device; and
receive the public key from the key management system.

10. The client device of claim 1 , wherein the public key is a first public key, the asymmetric key pair is a first asymmetric key pair, and the videoconferencing application is further executable by the processor to:
determine that the host of the videoconferencing meeting has changed from a first user to a second user; and
in response to determining that the host of the videoconferencing meeting has changed:
determine a second public key of a second asymmetric key-pair corresponding to the second user;
generate a new security code based on the second public key; and
output the new security code on the display device for comparison to an additional security code generated by at least one other client device participating in the videoconferencing meeting to verify that the videoconferencing meeting is secure.

11. A method comprising:
joining, by a client device, a videoconferencing meeting in which there is end-to-end encryption between client devices participating in the videoconferencing meeting, wherein the end-to-end encryption is implemented by the client devices using a meeting key provided by a host of the videoconferencing meeting;
after joining the videoconferencing meeting, receiving, by the client device, a public key of an asymmetric key pair corresponding to the host of the videoconferencing meeting, the public key being different from the meeting key;
generating, by the client device, a security code based on the public key;
outputting, by the client device, the security code on a display device for comparison to another security code generated by another client device participating in the videoconferencing meeting to verify that the videoconferencing meeting is secure;
receiving, by the client device, encrypted videoconferencing data from one or more of the client devices participating in the videoconferencing meeting; and
decrypting, by the client device, the encrypted videoconferencing data using the meeting key and outputting the decrypted videoconferencing data on the display device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the client device is not operated by the host of the videoconferencing meeting, and wherein the other client device is operated by the host of the videoconferencing meeting.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the client device is operated by the host of the videoconferencing meeting, and wherein the other client device is not operated by the host of the videoconferencing meeting.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising generating the security code by hashing the public key.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein generating the security code includes:
applying a first hash function to the public key to generate a hashed key;
applying a second hash function to a predefined text string to generate a hashed string;
applying a third hash function to the hashed key and the hashed string to generate a hash code; and
generating the security code based on the hash code.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the security code is different from the public key.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
performing, by the client device, a handshake with a video conference provider to access the videoconferencing meeting, wherein the handshake involves handshake data being transmitted between the client device and the video conference provider; and
generating, by the client device, the security code based at least in part on the public key and the handshake data.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the handshake data includes another public key associated with a user of the client device, a unique identifier of the videoconferencing meeting, or a passcode.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the public key is a first public key, the asymmetric key pair is a firs

Assignees

• Zoom Video Communications Inc

Inventors

• Lyons Karan
• Booth Simon

Classifications

• H04L63/0869 Primary

  for achieving mutual authentication (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for mutual authentication H04L9/3273) · CPC title

• H04L63/0442 Primary

  wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30) · CPC title

• H04L9/0825

  using asymmetric-key encryption or public key infrastructure [PKI], e.g. key signature or public key certificates · CPC title

• H04L9/0863

  involving passwords or one-time passwords (network architectures or network communication protocols for using one-time keys in a packet data network H04L63/067) · CPC title

• H04L9/3228

  One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key · CPC title