Systems and methods for enabling secure communication between endpoints in a distributed computerized infrastructure for establishing a social network

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9577995-B1
Application number	US-201313757866-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 4, 2013
Priority date	Feb 4, 2013
Publication date	Feb 21, 2017
Grant date	Feb 21, 2017

Abstract

A computer-implemented method performed in a system comprising a first endpoint, the first endpoint comprising at least one central processing unit, a memory, a storage system and a network interface unit, the system being accessible by a user, the method involving: generating a message at the first endpoint for sending to a second endpoint, the message incorporating a message body and a message metadata, the message metadata comprising a secure channel invitation for the second endpoint to securely communicate with the first endpoint, the secure channel invitation being hidden within the message metadata; communicating the message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint; receiving a response message, at a first endpoint, from the second endpoint; and establishing the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based on the received response message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method performed in a system comprising a first endpoint, the first endpoint comprising at least one central processing unit, a memory, a storage system and a network interface unit, the system being accessible by a user, the method comprising:
a. Generating a message at the first endpoint for sending to a second endpoint, the message comprising a human-readable message body and a message metadata, the message metadata being separate and distinct from the message body, the message metadata comprising a secure channel invitation for the second endpoint to securely communicate with the first endpoint, the secure channel invitation being hidden within the message metadata and does not comprise an instruction to download a communication software;
b. Communicating the message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint;
c. Receiving a response message, at a first endpoint, from the second endpoint; and
d. Establishing the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based on the received response message, wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing an encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises generating a second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the second message being formatted in accordance with Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol and sending the second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is an asymmetric key exchange and wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing a security association negotiation between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising protecting subsequent messages between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the protecting subsequent messages comprises encapsulating the subsequent messages in an encrypted and authenticated container and communicating the encapsulated messages from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.

4. A computer-implemented method performed in a system comprising a first endpoint, the first endpoint comprising at least one central processing unit, a memory, a storage system and a network interface unit, the system being accessible by a user, the method comprising:
a. Generating a human-readable message at the first endpoint for sending to a second endpoint, the human-readable message comprising a human-readable message body and a plurality of instructions to install a software for establishing secure communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, the plurality of instructions being hidden within a message metadata separate and distinct from the human-readable message body and do not comprise an instruction to download a communication software;
b. Communicating the human-readable message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint;
c. Receiving a response message, at a first endpoint, from the second endpoint; and
d. Establishing the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based on the received response message using the software for establishing secure communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing an encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises generating a second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the second message being formatted in accordance with Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol and sending the second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is an asymmetric key exchange and wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing a security association negotiation between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising protecting subsequent messages between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the protecting subsequent messages comprises encapsulating the subsequent messages in an encrypted and authenticated container and communicating the encapsulated messages from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.

7. A computer-implemented method performed in a system comprising a first endpoint, the first endpoint comprising at least one central processing unit, a memory, a storage system and a network interface unit, the system being accessible by a user, the method comprising:
a. Generating a message at the first endpoint for sending to a second endpoint, the message comprising a human-readable message body and a plurality of instructions to install a software for establishing secure communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, the plurality of instructions being hidden within a message metadata separate and distinct from the human-readable message body and do not comprise an instruction to download a communication software;
b. Communicating the generated message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint;
c. Receiving a response message, at a first endpoint, from the second endpoint; and
d. Establishing the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint based on the received response message using the software for establishing secure communication between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing an encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises generating a second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, the second message being formatted in accordance with Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol and sending the second message from the first endpoint to the second endpoint, wherein the encryption key exchange between the first endpoint and the second endpoint is an asymmetric key exchange and wherein the establishing of the secure communication channel between the first endpoint and the second endpoint comprises performing a security association negotiation between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising protecting subsequent messages between the first endpoint and the second endpoint.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the protecting subsequent messages comprises encapsulating the subsequent messages in an encrypted and authenticated container and communicating the encapsulated messages from the first endpoint to the second endpoint.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising hiding at least one of the message, the response message and the second message from the user.

Assignees

• Anchorfree Inc

Inventors

• Kuzmenko Roman

Classifications

• H04L63/061 Primary

  for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838) · CPC title