Secure instant messaging system
US7131003B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 20, 2003 |
| Grant date | Oct 31, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 27, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L63/0428
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A secure instant messaging system integrates secure text instant messaging and secure file transfers into existing instant messaging systems. At least one certificate authority (CA) is provided that issues a security certificate to a user that binds the user's instant messaging screen name to a public key which is used by other users to encrypt messages and files sent to the user and by the user to decrypt the received messages and files. A subscriber database is used by the CA to keep track of valid users and their associated information, such as: user screen names, user subscription expiration dates, and enrollment agent information. A user sends his certificate to the invention's instant messaging server which publishes the user's certificate to other users by creating a hash value of the user's certificate and sending it to the other users which allows the recipients to decide if they need to update their caches with a new copy of the user's certificate. Instant messages and files are encrypted by a sending user using an encryption algorithm and the recipient's certificate. The sending user can sign instant messages using his private signing key. The security status of each rec…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.