Secure directory services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12476933-B2
Application number	US-202117156905-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2021
Priority date	Dec 17, 2013
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

Secure directory services are disclosed. A cryptographic hash of a foreign identifier associated with a potential user is received. A determination is made that the received cryptographic hash of the foreign identifier matches a representation of a stored entry. In response to the determination, a transmission of a representation of a native identifier associated with the stored entry is transmitted to the sender of the cryptographic hash of the foreign identifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
receiving, by a server from a first user device, a representation of a foreign identifier, wherein the representation is a hash value that corresponds to an entity; processing, by the server, a query against a database table of a plurality of entities, including comparing the representation of the foreign identifier to an entry of the database table; determining, based on the comparison, that the representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry of the database table; and causing, by the server sending to the first user device an indication that the first representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry, the first user device to:
update an address book on the first user device with information from the database table that corresponds to the entry, which enables, based at least in part on a hashed representation of a native identifier, the first user device to address an encrypted communication to a second user device associated with the update to the address book, wherein the indication sent to the first user device that the first representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry, further comprises the hashed representation of a native identifier.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the foreign identifier is associated with a contact in the address book of the first user device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the foreign identifier comprises at least one of:
a phone number; an email address; a social network identifier; or a username.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a message is composed by the first user device based on the hash value of the recipient user.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:
receiving, by the server from the first user device, one or more second representations corresponding to one or more additional foreign identifiers; and storing the one or more second representations corresponding to the one or more additional foreign identifiers in the database to allow the one or more second user devices to discover an account associated with the first user device.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more additional foreign identifiers comprise at least one of:
a phone number associated with the first user device; an email address associated with a user of the first user device; a social network identifier associated with the user of the first user device; or a username associated with the user of the first user device.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication further comprises a hashed representation of a native identifier that allows the first user device to address an encrypted communication to a second user device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the server from the first user device, a second plurality of representations of a second plurality of foreign identifiers; comparing the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers to one or more entries of the database to determine whether the one or more of the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers matches any of the one or more entries; and sending, by the server to the first user device and based on a determination that none of the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers match any of the one or more entries, a second indication that no contacts are associated with the second plurality of foreign identifiers.

9 . A server comprising:
one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:
receive, from a first user device, representation of a foreign identifier wherein the representation is a hash value that corresponds to an entity;
process a query against a database table of a plurality of entities to compare the representation of the foreign identifier to an entry of the database table;
determine, based on the query and the comparison, that the representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry of the database table; and
cause, by sending to the first user device an indication that the representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry, the first user device to:
update an address book on the first user device with information from the database table that corresponds to the entry, which enables, based at least in part on a representation of a native identifier, the first user device to address a communication to a second user device associated with the entry, wherein the indication sent to the first user device that the representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry, further comprises a hashed representation of a native identifier.

10 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the foreign identifier is associated with a contact in the address book of the first user device.

11 . The server of claim 10 , wherein the foreign identifier comprises at least one of:
a phone number; an email address; a social network identifier; or a username.

12 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:
receive, from the first user device, one or more additional representations corresponding to one or more additional foreign identifiers; and store the one or more additional representations corresponding to one or more additional foreign identifiers in the database to allow one or more second user devices to discover an account associated with the first user device.

13 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the indication further comprises a hashed representation of a native identifier that allows the first user device to address an encrypted communication to a second user device.

14 . The server of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the server to:
receive, from the first user device, a second plurality of representations of a second plurality of foreign identifiers; compare the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers to one or more entries of the database to determine whether one or more of the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers matches any of the one or more entries; and send, to the first user device and based on a determination that none of the second plurality of representations of the second plurality of foreign identifiers match any of the one or more entries, a second indication that no contacts are associated with the second plurality of foreign identifiers.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, configure a server to:
receive, from a first user device, a representation of a foreign identifier wherein the representation is a hash value that corresponds to an entity; process a query against a database table of a plurality of entities including a comparison of the first representation of the foreign identifier to an entry of the database table; determine, based on the query, that the first representation of the first foreign identifier matches the entry of the database table; and cause, by sending to the first user device an indication that the first representation of the foreign identifier matches the entry, the first user device to:
update an address book on the first user device with information from the database table that corresponds to the entry, which enables, based at least in part on a native identifier, the first user device to address a communication to a second user dev

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Howell Christopher A
• Statica Robert
• Coppa Kara Lynn

Classifications

• H04L9/0643 Primary

  Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC · CPC title

• H04L9/006

  involving public key infrastructure [PKI] trust models (network architecture or network communication protocol for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823) · CPC title

• H04L9/0869

  involving random numbers or seeds · CPC title

• H04L51/08

  Annexed information, e.g. attachments · CPC title

• H04L9/3236

  using cryptographic hash functions · CPC title