Key replacement in a public key cryptosystem
US6240187A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 10, 1998 |
| Grant date | May 29, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 10, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2209/56
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Improved key management is provided by a public key replacement apparatus and method for operating over insecure networks. An active public key and the mask of a replacement public key are provided by a key server to nodes where the active key is used to encrypt and verify messages. To replace the active public key with the replacement public key, a key replacement message is sent to the node. The key replacement message contains the replacement public key and contains the mask of the next replacement key. The mask of the replacement public key may be generated by hashing or encrypting. The key replacement message is signed by the active public key and the replacement public key. Nodes are implemented by a computer, a smart card, a stored data card in combination with a publicly accessible node machine, or other apparatus for sending and/or receiving messages. In a particular application, a financial transaction network, nodes are consumer nodes, merchant nodes, or both, and transactions are securely sent over a possible insecure network
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.