WO2011081589A1 - Secure digital communications - Google Patents

Secure digital communications Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2011081589A1
WO2011081589A1 PCT/SE2010/050005 SE2010050005W WO2011081589A1 WO 2011081589 A1 WO2011081589 A1 WO 2011081589A1 SE 2010050005 W SE2010050005 W SE 2010050005W WO 2011081589 A1 WO2011081589 A1 WO 2011081589A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
trusted
sending
communication
digital
communication conditions
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2010/050005
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Anders Orre
Subhashini Sreenivasam
Niclas Lindberg
Ilio Virgili
Original Assignee
Dts Steering Group Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Dts Steering Group Ab filed Critical Dts Steering Group Ab
Priority to PCT/SE2010/050005 priority Critical patent/WO2011081589A1/en
Publication of WO2011081589A1 publication Critical patent/WO2011081589A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F21/00—Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
    • G06F21/30—Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
    • G06F21/31—User authentication
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/32—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
    • H04L9/321—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials involving a third party or a trusted authority
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/32—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
    • H04L9/3234—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
    • H04L9/32—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
    • H04L9/3247—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials involving digital signatures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to digital communications system, and more particularly to methods and devices for enabling authentication in such a digital communications system.
  • the Internet has revolutionized the way business is done and has changed consumer behavior in a very short space of time.
  • electronic commerce will only be able to realize its full potential if a number of important conditions are met.
  • One of these conditions will be the underlying security of the data transported over the Internet, intranets and extranets.
  • a method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device comprising sending, from the first device to the second device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device and the second device; sending, from the second device to the first device, at least an identification of a second trusted device; sending, from the first device, the identification of the second trusted device to a first trusted device; sending, from the first trusted device to the second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device; sending, from the second trusted device, the communication conditions to the first trusted device; sending, from the first trusted device to the first device, on a condition that the first device fulfills the communication conditions, an
  • acknowledgement sending, from the second trusted device to the second device, in response to sending the communication conditions to the first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
  • the disclosed method may provide for improved digital communication between a first device and a second device since communication between a first device and a second device may involve at least one additional communications device and wherein identification information pertaining to the first device and the second device is communicated to the at least one additional communications device.
  • the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved traceability.
  • the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved security.
  • the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved authentication.
  • the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved access rights.
  • a method for for authentication of a first device and/or a second device comprising sending, to the second device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device and the second device; receiving, from the second device, at least an identification of a second trusted device; sending, from the first device, the identification of the second trusted device to a first trusted device; and receiving, on a condition that the first device fulfills communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device, an acknowledgement from the first trusted device.
  • a device comprising circuitry configured to carry out the method according to any one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects.
  • a computer program product comprising computer program code which is stored on a computer- readable storage medium and which, when executed on a processor, carries out a method according to any of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects.
  • the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh aspects may generally have the same features and advantages as the first aspect.
  • Figs. 1 -5 are schematic diagrams of communications systems according to embodiments.
  • Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method according to embodiments.
  • Fig. 7 is a timing diagram of a method according to embodiments.
  • Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a device according to embodiments.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary communications system 100 in which the disclosed embodiments may be applied.
  • the communications system 100 comprises a number of devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 152, 154 which may or may not be able to communicate with each other.
  • the devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 152, 154 may for example take the form of mobile communications devices, such as mobile phones or portable digital assistants (PDA), or stationary (desktop) or portable (laptop) computers.
  • PDA portable digital assistants
  • the first device 102 and the second device 104 will commonly be referred to as node devices.
  • Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of internal components of a device 800 corresponding to the devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 1 52, 154 of Fig. 1 according to embodiments.
  • the device 800 comprises an evaluating functional block 802, which may comprise a processing unit.
  • the evaluating functional block 802 is arranged to be operatively connected to a data receiving functional block 804, a data sending functional block 806, a data storage functional block 808.
  • the data receiving functional block 804 is configured to receive data signals from external units, devices, and apparatuses.
  • the data sending functional block 806 is configured to send data signals to external units, devices, and apparatuses.
  • the data receiving functional block 804 and the data sending functional block 806 may be part of a common transceiver functional block configured to both receive and send data.
  • the memory data storage functional block 808 may be configured to store computer program instructions pertaining to a computer-implemented method for authentication of a device.
  • the memory data storage functional block 808 may thus form a computer-readable medium which may have stored thereon software instructions.
  • the software instructions may cause the evaluating functional block 802 to execute the method according to embodiments of the present invention. Methods in which a first device 102, wishes to establish a
  • the below described methods may be implemented as one or more computer program products.
  • the computer program product may comprise computer program code stored on a computer-readable storage medium, such as the data storage functional block 808.
  • the computer-readable storage medium may thus be a computer memory, a computer-readable disc or the like.
  • the computer-readable storage medium may be a computer chip.
  • the computer chip may be an ASIC or an FPGA.
  • the computer-readable storage medium may load executable program portions to the communication devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. When executed on a processor, such as by the evaluating functional block 802, of the communication devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, the computer program product thus carries out the disclosed methods.
  • Each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 may be associated with a unique identification, or identity, to be used in future communications in order to identify said communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. It should be noted that the unique identity defined by the identification may not be validated by any other communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 in the system 100. The unique identity is accepted by other devices in the system 100 when a relation, that is, a communications relation, is established. The unique identity is thus used for matching purposes and may not have controlling authority.
  • such a unique identity may take the form of a sequence of random binary or integer numbers. The longer the sequence the higher the probability of generating a sequence that is unique for each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. The unique identity may
  • the unique identity may have a hierarchical structure, such as topdomain.subdomain. section. user or the like.
  • the upper-most level in the hierarchical structure may inter alia correspond to a country code or an Internet top domain, such as com, org, uk, jp or the like.
  • the lower-most level in the hierarchy may correspond to an individual communication device or the name of a user thereof, such as lastname.firstname.
  • a unique identity (having a hierarchical structure) may be viewed as a sequential address for a particular user.
  • a specific user may be associated with several such unique identities.
  • a communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 which is able to communicate with other communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 is thus associated with a digital identity.
  • the digital identity may also be associated with a number of references.
  • a reference of a digital identity may pertain to the collated information provided by other
  • a reference may be based on a Hash value. Hash values per se are known in the art and will thus not be further described in this
  • the reference may also be based on a set of statements, wherein the statements may inter alia pertain to contact information, such as a name and/or an address, of a user of the device of which the reference is
  • the reference may comprise a name and/or an address of the second device 104 and/or a user of the second device 104.
  • the reference may be comprised in an XML document.
  • a reference may be associated with a sender and a recipient.
  • a reference may be said to be signed (by a sender) towards a recipient, wherein the signature which is used to sign the reference then advantageously comprise identification of the recipient device.
  • Each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 may keep track of each established communication e.g. by means of associating each established communication with a sequence number.
  • the sequence number is associated with the communication device to which a
  • the communication devices at each end of the solid line 1 16, 1 18, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130.
  • the second device 104 has previously established communication with the communication devices 106, 1 10, 1 12 as indicated by the solid lines 130, 122, 124 in Fig. 1 .
  • the dashed line 132 communications is to be established between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
  • the first device 102 sends a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device 102 and the second device 104 to the second device 104, step S602.
  • the second device 104 then sends at least an identification of a second trusted device 154 to the first device 102, step S604.
  • the first device 102 forwards the identification of the second master 154 device to a first trusted device 152, step S606.
  • the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 may be viewed as digital notaries.
  • a digital notary may be a company, agency or authority, or the like which may act as notary in digital communications systems and networks. As such the digital notary may provide certified digital witnesses. Digital witnesses will be further disclosed below. The digital notary may also provide archive and/or functionalities and/or means. It may be required that the trusted devices 152 and 154 are certified by an organization, see below.
  • the first trusted device 152 then sends a request pertaining to communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, which the second device 104 requires the first device 102 to fulfill for the second device 104 to establish communication with the first device 102, step S608.
  • the communication conditions may be associated with a set of values which may pertain to security issues and identification issues.
  • the communication conditions may pertain to policies (methods for digital signatures, levels of security, etc).
  • the identification issues may relate to
  • the first trusted device 152 does not need to communicate an identity of the first device 102 to the second trusted device 154.
  • the second trusted device 154 then sends the communication conditions to the first trusted device 152, step S610.
  • the second trusted device 154 may forward the request to the second device 104, step S612.
  • the second device 104 may then send the communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, step S614.
  • the communication conditions may have been sent to the second trusted device 154 in advance.
  • network signaling may be reduced since the second device 104 does not need to send its communication conditions for every instance of establishing communications between the second device 104 and another device (such as the first device 102).
  • the second trusted device 154 may send a message to the second device 104, wherein the message comprises information that the second trusted device 154 has successfully received a valid request for establishing communications between the second device 104 and a further device (i.e. the first device 102) and that the second master device 154 requests the second device 104 to communicate communication policies to the second master device 154, wherein the communication policies pertain to the communications to be established.
  • the second device 104 may then send the required information to the second trusted device 154.
  • the first trusted device 152 may acknowledge to the second trusted device 154 that the communication conditions are fulfilled, step S616. Similarly the first trusted device 152 may communicate communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, which need to be fulfilled by the second device 104, to establish communication with the first device 102.
  • the first trusted device 152 may send, to the first device 102, on a condition that the first device 102 does not fulfill the communication
  • the first device 102 may then review the required communication conditions and if possible, update its communication conditions such that the required communication conditions may be fulfilled.
  • the first trusted device 152 may send to the second trusted device 154, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the first device 102 requires the second device 104 to fulfill for the first device 102 to establish communication with the second device 104.
  • the second trusted device may send to the first trusted device, on a condition that the second device fulfils said communication conditions, an acknowledgement, step S618.
  • the acknowledgement may comprises the policies. Thereby both communication conditions of the first device 102 and of the second device 104 may be fulfilled and acknowledged before communications can be established between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
  • Communication pertaining to the first device 102 and the second device 104 may then be enabled between the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154.
  • first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 authentication of the first device 102 and the second device 104 may be achieved.
  • a method for generating a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104 will now be disclosed with reference to Fig. 1 and the timing diagram of Fig. 7.
  • the following steps may be executed to generate a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
  • the digital contract may be viewed as a set of communication rules to be followed by the first device 102 and the second device 104 during subsequent communications between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
  • the first device 102 and the second device 104 communicates indirectly via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154.
  • the first device 102 sends a request pertaining to a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104 to be generated.
  • the request may be sent via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 to the second device 104.
  • the first device 102 may request the first trusted device 152 to initiate generation of a digital contract.
  • the first device 102 encloses an actor policy (APA1 ) and a first local contract identifier (CID1 ) to be used for said digital contract.
  • the actor policy APA1 comprises information relating to an access/signature scheme as specified in the digital contract.
  • the access/signature scheme is related to identification of a node device in the system 100.
  • the access/signature scheme is selected by each of the node devices taking part in the digital contract creation process.
  • witness rules forming part of the access/signature scheme strengthen that the node device really executed the access/signature scheme at a given instance in time.
  • the local contract identifier CID1 may be a long numerical value that is generated by each node device participating in the digital contract generation process.
  • Each digital contract has two parts. Each part is dedicated to the details of the respective node device.
  • the local contract identifier is used by each node device to identify their part of the digital contract, to enable the respective node device to spot respective access and/or signature schemes as specified according to APA1 .
  • the first trusted device 152 may generate its witness policy (WPW1 ) for the received actor policy. Every time the first device 102 executes the access scheme or the signature scheme as specified in the digital contract, a digital witness may be needed to witness that the action is really executed by the first device 102 at a particular time and date (likewise for the second device 104).
  • the policy according to which the digital witness witnesses the action is specified according to a witness policy.
  • the witness policy is defined by the digital witness (which may be the first trusted device 152 for the first device 102 and the second trusted device 154 for the second device 104 or other auxiliary devices, see below) and consists of the signature scheme of the digital witness.
  • the witness policy is generated by the digital witness and is executed whenever the node device to which the digital witness acts as a witness executes one of the access or signature schemes and informs the digital witness that such an action is to be witnessed.
  • the digital witness while witnessing, adds time stamp information and a digital signature to the witnessed communication pertaining to the required access/signature scheme whereby the digital witness indicates that the node device to which the digital witness acts as a witness really executed the required access/signature scheme.
  • a witness policy pattern may be specified by a government body (see below).
  • the digital witnesses ensure that the node devices fulfill the witness policy pattern.
  • the digital witnesses may signal that the required policies are fulfilled (instead of exchanging complete, or raw data, digital references).
  • the witness policy pattern may state that the user of the node device should be a legal entity.
  • a digital witness in Sweden will signal the policy fulfillment if the user of the node device provides digital references from the entity Bolagsverket and digital references from the Auditor of the Company etc. associated with the node device as defined by the Swedish Company Registration Law.
  • the digital witness validates the references and finally signals that the policy is fulfilled. I.e. the digital witness transmits an acknowledgement that the digital reference is valid instead of sending the digital reference as raw data.
  • the first trusted device 152 may add references of the first device 102 as required by a digital contract configuration point (DCCP).
  • DCCP is a method of preparing the digital witness to facilitate the digital contract generation process. The preparation is initiated by the node devices (devices 102 and 104 in the present embodiment) and is carried out by the digital witness. The outcome of the preparation process is a DCCP which contains an address to the digital witness and other required details to generate a digital contract.
  • a DCCP is communicated from the second device 104 to the first device 102, In turn the first device 102 may communicate the received DCCP to the first trusted device 152 in order for the first trusted device 152 to be able to create a digital contract pertaining to the
  • the first trusted device 152 may contact the second trusted device 154 with APA1 , WPW1 and references of the first device 102.
  • the second trusted device 154 may validate the references.
  • the second trusted device 154 may generate its witness policy (WPW2) for the actor policy (APA2) of the second device 104 previously registered with the second trusted device.
  • the second trusted device 154 may contact the second device 104 to install the digital contract based on the DCCP by sending APA1 , WPW1 , WPW2 and DCCP to the second device 104.
  • the second device 104 may install the digital contract.
  • the second device 104 sends a response pertaining to the digital contract having been installed.
  • the response may also comprise information which may be requested by the first device 102 for the first device 102 to be able to install a digital contract at its end.
  • the response may be sent via the second trusted device 154 and the first trusted device 152 to the first device 102.
  • the second device 104 may respond to the second trusted device 154 with its actor policy (APA2) and a second local contract identifier (CID2) to be used for said digital contract and with an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been successfully installed.
  • APA2 actor policy
  • CID2 second local contract identifier
  • the second trusted device 154 may install the digital contract for the second device 104 locally at its end.
  • the second trusted device 154 may acknowledge to the first trusted device 152 that the digital contract has been installed locally by transmitting APA2,
  • the first trusted device 152 may validate the received references.
  • the first trusted device 152 may install the digital contract for the first device 102 locally at its end.
  • the first trusted device 152 may activate the digital contract for the first device 102 at its end.
  • the first trusted device 152 may transmit to the first device 102 the WPW1 , APA2, and WPW2.
  • the first trusted device 152 may also transmit to the first device 102a the DCCP whereby the first device 102 may identify for which requested digital contract the first trusted device 152 is returning the rules..
  • the first trusted device 152 may also transmit to the first device 102a an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed at its end.
  • the first device 102 may install the digital contract in an activated state.
  • the first device 102 transmits an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed.
  • the acknowledgement may be sent via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 to the second device 104.
  • the first device 102 may transmit an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed to the first trusted device 152.
  • the first trusted device 152 may signal to the second trusted device 154 that the digital contract is activated at the first device 102.
  • the second trusted device 154 may signal to the second device 104 that the contract is activated at the first device 102.
  • references when the reference is transmitted from the first device 102 to the second device 104, or from the second device 104 to the first device 102, references may be encrypted, which may have the general effect of increasing confidentiality and security of the transmission, and in particular increasing confidentiality and security of the transmission of the reference.
  • the first device 102 may requests a reference of the second device 104 from a third device 106, wherein the reference sent from the third device 106 is addressed to and associated with the first device 102, and wherein the sent message comprising the reference may be encrypted by the third device 106 such that only the first device 102 may decrypt the message part comprising the reference.
  • the first device 102 may for example request information pertaining to identification of the second device 104 as performed by the third device 106.
  • the third device 106 may perform identification of the second device 104 by comparing references or reference values.
  • the reference values may be Hash values.
  • the reference values may alternative be sequence numbers.
  • the reference may alternative be identity information received from the first device.
  • the references or reference values may be a combination of Hash values, sequence numbers and identity information.
  • the third device 106 may thus be viewed as a trusted third part.
  • the information pertaining to identification of the second device 104 may be associated with a previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106.
  • the first device 102 may verify the reference by comparing information comprised in the reference with
  • the third device 106 may first need to decrypt the message.
  • the reference may also be associated with the first device 102 by incorporating an address field in the reference and to add the identity of the first device 102 in the address field. This adds security to the process since the first device 102 may ensure that the information delivered to the third device 106is associated with the first device 102 although the request is sent from the first device 102 to the second device 104 and not from the first device 102 directly to the third device 106. That is, the reference request is received by the second device 104, which second device 104 then forwards the reference request to the third device 106. The third device 106 thus receives the reference request regarding the second device 104 from the second device 104. The third device 106 then sends the reference to the second device 104. The second device 106 thus receives the reference and sends the reference to the first device 102, which receives and verifies the reference.
  • the first device 102 may then create a first public encryption key for establishing communication from the first device 102 to the second device 104.
  • the first device 102 then encrypts the received reference with the created first public encryption key. Further, the first device 102 encrypts the created first public encryption key using an additional public encryption key, wherein the additional public encryption key is associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106.
  • the encrypted first public encryption key and the encrypted received reference are then sent from the first device 102 to the second device 104.
  • the second device 104 thus has no knowledge of the first public encryption key as created by the first device 102.
  • the second device 104 has no knowledge of the additional public encryption key associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106. Hence the second device 104 is neither able to decrypt the encrypted first public encryption key nor the encrypted received reference.
  • the second device 104 In order for the second device 104 to validate the information pertaining to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106 comprised in the encrypted reference the second device 104 forwards the encrypted first public encryption key to the third device 106.
  • This message sent from the second device 104 to the third device 106 further comprises a request pertaining to decryption of the encrypted first public encryption key. Since the first public encryption key has been encrypted with the additional public encryption key which, as stated above, is associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106, the third device 106 is able to decrypt the encrypted first public encryption key. The decrypted first public encryption key can then be sent back from the third device 106 to the second device 104. For added security the third device 106 may encrypt the decrypted first public encryption key using a further public encryption key using an additional public encryption key, wherein the additional public encryption key is associated with the previously established communication between the third device 106 and the second device 104.
  • the second device 104 Since the second device 104 knows the further public encryption key which has been used to encrypt the first public encryption key the second device 104 may thus decrypt the received encrypted first public encryption key after reception.
  • the second device 104 may thus decrypt the previously received encrypted reference pertaining to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106.
  • the second device 104 may then validate the contents of the reference. That is, by comparing information comprised in the reference to information, such as sequence numbers, comprised in the second device 104, the second device 104 is able to verify that information comprised in reference is correct and indeed pertains to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106. If the reference comprises a Hash value (as described above) the second device 104 may calculate the Hash value of the first public encryption key.
  • the second device 104 may then perform a comparison between this calculated Hash value and the Hash value comprised in the reference in order to verify that the reference has not been altered during the transmission from the third device 106 to the first device 102 via the second device 104, or from third device 106 to the second device 104.
  • a digital contract may thus pertain to a digital communications relation between two or more communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, wherein the contract may comprise information pertaining to digital signatures and/or digital witnesses (as will be further disclosed below).
  • a digital contract thus created may be utilized to identify the communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 when the communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 interacts, or communicates, with other communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14.
  • Digital contracts may be utilized for
  • Digital contracts may therefore be used to retrieve references.
  • Fig. 3 shows an example of a communications system 300 in which communication has previously been established between the fourth device 202 and devices 102 and 302, respectively, as indicated by the solid lines 308 and 310, and wherein communication has been established between the fifth device 204 and devices 104, 304 and 306, respectively, as indicated by the solid lines 318, 314 and 316. Further, communications is to be established by a first device 102 and a second device 104 as indicated by the dashed line 320.
  • devices 102, 202 and 302 may be said to represent a first subgroup of the communications system 300 whilst devices 104, 204, 304 and 306 may be said to represent a second sub-group of the communications system 300.
  • the sub-groups may also be said to represent different classes.
  • the sub-groups may for example represent different geographical locations, such as different countries or countries or parts thereof.
  • the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may for example represent or, act on the behalf of, different government bodies in the respective countries associated with the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204, respectively.
  • the fourth device 202 may be geographically located in a first nation whilst the fifth device 204 may be geographically located in a second nation different from said first nation.
  • suitable government bodies may include an agency responsible of handling identification information, such as a national identity register.
  • the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may be said to represent so called trusted third parties.
  • the government bodies in different countries may be associated with an organization, such as a global trust center, which organization may enforce or suggest communication conditions which should be fulfilled by communication devices for the communication devices to be able to establish communication with each other.
  • the organization may thus communicate these communication conditions to the above disclosed master devices.
  • the organization certifies the master devices.
  • the communications system 300 is associated with a corporate company the different sub-groups may represent different departments or divisions within the corporate company.
  • the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 (which are associated as indicated by the solid line 312) may for example represent different data service centers associated with each department or division associated with the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204, respectively.
  • Other examples include, but are not limited to, different Internet service providers, Internet communities, bank memberships, club memberships, and the like. It is generally a requirement and/or an agreement that the first device 102 and the second device 104 trusts the authority, agency, company, or the like (represented by the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204) offering and/or being responsible of the Internet service, Internet community, bank membership, or club membership.
  • the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may be said to represent so called trusted third parties. As will be appreciated by the skilled person these are just a few examples in which the invention may apply. In general, it may thus be assumed that at least one device in each sub-group (here exemplified by the fourth device 202 in the first sub-group and the fifth device 204 in the second sub-group, respectively) has
  • one of the sub-group devices acts as a government body which may be responsible for issuing memberships to each device in the sub-group.
  • a communication device may be associated with a plurality of different sub-groups, wherein each associated sub-group pertains to different applications.
  • a communication device may be associated with a bank membership, and on the other hand the communication device may simultaneously be associated with an Internet community.
  • Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a communications system 400, similar to the communications system 300 of Fig. 3 in which the invention may be applied .
  • the first device 102 wishes to establish
  • the first device 102 is associated with a first sub-group via the fourth device 202 and the second device 104 is associated with a second sub-group via the fifth device 204 as indicated by solid lines.
  • the first sub-group comprises devices 102, 202 and 412
  • the second sub-group comprises devices 104, 204 and 420.
  • the first and second sub-groups may represent different countries.
  • the first sub-group may represent devices in a first country and the second sub-group may represent devices in a second country.
  • the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may then act as government bodies.
  • the first device 102 is further associated with a third sub-group comprising devices 102, 406, 408 and 410 as indicated by dashed lines and with a fourth sub-group comprising devices 102, 414, 416 and 418 as indicated by dotted lines.
  • the third sub-group may represent devices associated with the same bank, whereas the fourth sub-group may represent devices associated with the same Internet service provider.
  • Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a communications system 500, similar to the communications system 100 of Fig. 1 in which the invention may apply.
  • the communications system 200 comprises a number of communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 502, 504 which may or may not be able to communicate with each other.
  • a first device 102 wishes to establish a communication with a second device 104, denoted a second device, in the communications system 500.
  • solid lines 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526 between two communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 502, 504 represents that communication has previously been established between the two communication devices at each end of the solid line 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526. That is, as in the exemplary scenario of Fig. 500 communication has previously been established e.g.
  • the first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504, respectively, may be said to represent digital witnesses for the first device 102 and the second device 104, respectively. That is, it may be required that all communications relations established involving the first device 102 are monitored by the first auxiliary device 502. More generally, it may thus be required that all communications relations are monitored by auxiliary devices; a first auxiliary device 502 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the first device 102, whilst a second auxiliary device 504 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the second device 102.
  • the monitoring process of the first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504 may thus be said to involve capturing message transaction information, such as the sender and/or recipient of the message.
  • the monitoring process of the first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504 may also comprise supplying the transmitted messages with a time stamp and/or a digital signature. Time stamps and digital signatures per se are known in the art and will thus not be further discussed in this disclosure.
  • the first auxiliary device 502 of the first device 102 and the second auxiliary device 504 of the second device 204 may also be required to establish
  • the first auxiliary device 502 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the first device 102
  • the messages sent by the first device 102 comprise two digital signatures; one digital signature associated with the first device 102 and one digital signature associated with the first auxiliary device 502.
  • the first device 102 may terminate the established communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104 by sending a message to the first auxiliary device 502, wherein the message comprises information stating that the first auxiliary device 502 shall not insert a digital signature into the monitored message. That is, in this case the messages sent by the first device 102 comprise one digital signature, which digital signature is associated with the first device 102. If the second device 104 receives a message not comprising a digital signature of the first auxiliary device 502 the second device 502 may choose to classify the received message as incomplete and may thus further ignore its contents.
  • the second device 104 may ignore the contents of the received message the established communication from the first device 102 to the second device 104, and/or the established communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104 may be said to have been terminated.
  • the second device 104 may send a message to the first device 102 stating that the received messages was interpreted as incomplete since the received message did not comprise a digital signature of the first auxiliary device 502.

Abstract

A first device and/or a second device is authenticated by a scheme comprising a first trusted device and a second trusted device. The communication between the first device and the second device utilizes the first trusted device and the second trusted device whereby the first trusted device sends to the second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device.

Description

SECURE DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
Technical field
The present invention relates to digital communications system, and more particularly to methods and devices for enabling authentication in such a digital communications system.
Background
The Internet has revolutionized the way business is done and has changed consumer behavior in a very short space of time. However, electronic commerce will only be able to realize its full potential if a number of important conditions are met. One of these conditions will be the underlying security of the data transported over the Internet, intranets and extranets.
Thus, there is an increasing demand for creating secure transfer of packages of information between devices in digital communications systems and networks. In areas such as digital business communication, digital money transactions, digital product delivery, etc., it is of importance that the package of information does not fall into the wrong hands, such as in the hands of an unauthorized party, or is tampered with by a participating party or by a third unauthorized party. It is also of importance that the communications devices can trust each other. Summary
In view of the above-mentioned and other drawbacks of the related art, it would be desirable to achieve an improved method for digital
communication and, in particular, an improved method for digital
communication in terms of improved security, authentication and/or traceability. Also, it would be advantageous to achieve a communication system comprising at least some of these advantages and/or improvements. In addition it would be advantageous to achieve a device enabling improved digital communication in terms improved security and/or authentication and/or traceability.
To better address one or more of these concerns, in a first aspect of the invention there is provided a method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, the method comprising sending, from the first device to the second device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device and the second device; sending, from the second device to the first device, at least an identification of a second trusted device; sending, from the first device, the identification of the second trusted device to a first trusted device; sending, from the first trusted device to the second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device; sending, from the second trusted device, the communication conditions to the first trusted device; sending, from the first trusted device to the first device, on a condition that the first device fulfills the communication conditions, an
acknowledgement; and sending, from the second trusted device to the second device, in response to sending the communication conditions to the first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
The disclosed method may provide for improved digital communication between a first device and a second device since communication between a first device and a second device may involve at least one additional communications device and wherein identification information pertaining to the first device and the second device is communicated to the at least one additional communications device. By means of the at least one additional communications device which may be involved at some stage of the communications between the first device and the second device the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved traceability. For the same reasons the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved security. For the same reasons the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved authentication. For the same reasons the digital communication may thus be improved in terms of improved access rights. According to a second aspect there is provided a method for for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, the method comprising sending, to the second device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device and the second device; receiving, from the second device, at least an identification of a second trusted device; sending, from the first device, the identification of the second trusted device to a first trusted device; and receiving, on a condition that the first device fulfills communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device, an acknowledgement from the first trusted device.
According to a third aspect there is provided a method for
authentication of a first device and/or a second device, the method
comprising receiving, from the first device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device and the second device; sending, to the first device, at least an identification of a second trusted device; and receiving, from a second trusted device, in response to the second trusted device sending communication conditions, which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device, to a first trusted device, an
acknowledgement.
According to a fourth aspect there is provided a method for
authentication of a first device and/or a second device, the method
comprising receiving, from the first device, an identification of the second trusted device; sending, from the first trusted device to the second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device; sending, from the second trusted device, the communication conditions to the first trusted device; and sending, from the first trusted device to the first device, on a condition that the first device fulfills the communication conditions, an acknowledgement.
According to a fifth aspect there is provided a method for
authentication of a first device and/or a second device, the method
comprising receiving, from a first trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the second device requires the first device to fulfill for the second device to establish communication with the first device; sending, the communication conditions to the first trusted device; and sending, from the second trusted device to the second device, in response to sending the communication conditions to the first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
According to a sixth aspect there is provided a device comprising circuitry configured to carry out the method according to any one of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects.
According to a seventh aspect there is provided a computer program product, comprising computer program code which is stored on a computer- readable storage medium and which, when executed on a processor, carries out a method according to any of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth or sixth aspects.
The second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh aspects may generally have the same features and advantages as the first aspect.
Other aspects, features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached claims as well as from the drawings.
Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the/said [element, device, component, means, step, etc]" are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.
Brief description of the drawings
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail, reference being made to the enclosed drawings, in which:
Figs. 1 -5 are schematic diagrams of communications systems according to embodiments. Fig. 6 is a flowchart of a method according to embodiments.
Fig. 7 is a timing diagram of a method according to embodiments.
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a device according to embodiments.
Detailed description of embodiments
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary communications system 100 in which the disclosed embodiments may be applied. The communications system 100 comprises a number of devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 152, 154 which may or may not be able to communicate with each other. The devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 152, 154 may for example take the form of mobile communications devices, such as mobile phones or portable digital assistants (PDA), or stationary (desktop) or portable (laptop) computers. The first device 102 and the second device 104 will commonly be referred to as node devices.
Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of internal components of a device 800 corresponding to the devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 1 52, 154 of Fig. 1 according to embodiments. The device 800 comprises an evaluating functional block 802, which may comprise a processing unit. The evaluating functional block 802 is arranged to be operatively connected to a data receiving functional block 804, a data sending functional block 806, a data storage functional block 808.
The data receiving functional block 804 is configured to receive data signals from external units, devices, and apparatuses. The data sending functional block 806 is configured to send data signals to external units, devices, and apparatuses. The data receiving functional block 804 and the data sending functional block 806 may be part of a common transceiver functional block configured to both receive and send data. The memory data storage functional block 808 may be configured to store computer program instructions pertaining to a computer-implemented method for authentication of a device. The memory data storage functional block 808 may thus form a computer-readable medium which may have stored thereon software instructions. The software instructions may cause the evaluating functional block 802 to execute the method according to embodiments of the present invention. Methods in which a first device 102, wishes to establish a
connection with a second device 104, will be described below. The below described methods may be implemented as one or more computer program products. The computer program product may comprise computer program code stored on a computer-readable storage medium, such as the data storage functional block 808. The computer-readable storage medium may thus be a computer memory, a computer-readable disc or the like. The computer-readable storage medium may be a computer chip. The computer chip may be an ASIC or an FPGA. The computer-readable storage medium may load executable program portions to the communication devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. When executed on a processor, such as by the evaluating functional block 802, of the communication devices 102, 104, 106, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, the computer program product thus carries out the disclosed methods.
In the following it will be assumed that at least part of the system 100 is in a state of operation.
Each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 may be associated with a unique identification, or identity, to be used in future communications in order to identify said communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. It should be noted that the unique identity defined by the identification may not be validated by any other communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 in the system 100. The unique identity is accepted by other devices in the system 100 when a relation, that is, a communications relation, is established. The unique identity is thus used for matching purposes and may not have controlling authority. Moreover, as will be explained below, even if a unique identity of a first device in the system 100 is copied by a second device in the system 100, or alternatively that the identity of the first device is identical to the identity of the second device by chance, this will not affect the process of establishing a digital
communications relation between two devices in the system 100.
Typically such a unique identity may take the form of a sequence of random binary or integer numbers. The longer the sequence the higher the probability of generating a sequence that is unique for each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. The unique identity may
alternatively, or additionally, be associated with a serial number of the communication device 102, 1 04, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14.
Further, the unique identity may have a hierarchical structure, such as topdomain.subdomain. section. user or the like. The upper-most level in the hierarchical structure may inter alia correspond to a country code or an Internet top domain, such as com, org, uk, jp or the like. The lower-most level in the hierarchy may correspond to an individual communication device or the name of a user thereof, such as lastname.firstname. Thus, a unique identity (having a hierarchical structure) may be viewed as a sequential address for a particular user. A specific user may be associated with several such unique identities.
A communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 which is able to communicate with other communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 is thus associated with a digital identity. The digital identity may also be associated with a number of references. A reference of a digital identity may pertain to the collated information provided by other
communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 regarding the communication device 102, 1 04, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 associated with said digital identity. A reference may be based on a Hash value. Hash values per se are known in the art and will thus not be further described in this
disclosure. The reference may also be based on a set of statements, wherein the statements may inter alia pertain to contact information, such as a name and/or an address, of a user of the device of which the reference is
associated with. For example, if the reference is associated with the second device 104 the reference may comprise a name and/or an address of the second device 104 and/or a user of the second device 104. The reference may be comprised in an XML document.
Further, a reference may be associated with a sender and a recipient. Thus, in other words a reference may be said to be signed (by a sender) towards a recipient, wherein the signature which is used to sign the reference then advantageously comprise identification of the recipient device.
Each communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 may keep track of each established communication e.g. by means of associating each established communication with a sequence number. The sequence number is associated with the communication device to which a
communication was established.
In Fig. 1 solid lines 1 16, 1 18, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130 between two communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 represents that communication has previously been established between the two
communication devices at each end of the solid line 1 16, 1 18, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 130. For example, assume that the second device 104 has previously established communication with the communication devices 106, 1 10, 1 12 as indicated by the solid lines 130, 122, 124 in Fig. 1 . As indicated by the dashed line 132 communications is to be established between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
Assume further that the relative order in which communication was established from the second device 104 to the communication devices 106, 1 10, 1 12 was established in the order 106, 1 12, 1 10. That is, communication was established from the second device 104 to the communication device 1 12 before communication was established from the second device 104 to the communication device 1 10 and after communication was established from the second device 104 to the communication device 106.
A method for authentication of a first device 102 and/or a second device 103 will now be disclosed with references to Fig. 1 and the flowchart of Fig. 6. Assuming that the first device 102 wishes to establish a
communication with the second device 104, as indicated by the dashed line 132 in Fig. 1 , the first device 102 sends a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between the first device 102 and the second device 104 to the second device 104, step S602.
The second device 104 then sends at least an identification of a second trusted device 154 to the first device 102, step S604. When receiving the identification of the second trusted device 154 the first device 102 forwards the identification of the second master 154 device to a first trusted device 152, step S606.
The first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 may be viewed as digital notaries. A digital notary may be a company, agency or authority, or the like which may act as notary in digital communications systems and networks. As such the digital notary may provide certified digital witnesses. Digital witnesses will be further disclosed below. The digital notary may also provide archive and/or functionalities and/or means. It may be required that the trusted devices 152 and 154 are certified by an organization, see below.
The first trusted device 152 then sends a request pertaining to communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, which the second device 104 requires the first device 102 to fulfill for the second device 104 to establish communication with the first device 102, step S608. The communication conditions may be associated with a set of values which may pertain to security issues and identification issues. The communication conditions may pertain to policies (methods for digital signatures, levels of security, etc). For example the identification issues may relate to
communication policies, such as communication protocols, utilized between the first device 102 and the second device 104. Optionally the first trusted device 152 does not need to communicate an identity of the first device 102 to the second trusted device 154.
The second trusted device 154 then sends the communication conditions to the first trusted device 152, step S610. Alternatively, upon receiving the request from the first trusted device 152 the second trusted device 154 may forward the request to the second device 104, step S612. The second device 104 may then send the communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, step S614. However, the communication conditions may have been sent to the second trusted device 154 in advance. By providing the second trusted device 154 with communication conditions in advance, network signaling may be reduced since the second device 104 does not need to send its communication conditions for every instance of establishing communications between the second device 104 and another device (such as the first device 102).
Yet alternatively, the second trusted device 154 may send a message to the second device 104, wherein the message comprises information that the second trusted device 154 has successfully received a valid request for establishing communications between the second device 104 and a further device (i.e. the first device 102) and that the second master device 154 requests the second device 104 to communicate communication policies to the second master device 154, wherein the communication policies pertain to the communications to be established. The second device 104 may then send the required information to the second trusted device 154.
In case the first device 102 fulfills the communication conditions, the first trusted device 152 may acknowledge to the second trusted device 154 that the communication conditions are fulfilled, step S616. Similarly the first trusted device 152 may communicate communication conditions to the second trusted device 154, which need to be fulfilled by the second device 104, to establish communication with the first device 102.
The first trusted device 152 may send, to the first device 102, on a condition that the first device 102 does not fulfill the communication
conditions, information pertaining to required communication conditions. The first device 102 may then review the required communication conditions and if possible, update its communication conditions such that the required communication conditions may be fulfilled.
In addition, the first trusted device 152 may send to the second trusted device 154, a request pertaining to communication conditions which the first device 102 requires the second device 104 to fulfill for the first device 102 to establish communication with the second device 104. The second trusted device may send to the first trusted device, on a condition that the second device fulfils said communication conditions, an acknowledgement, step S618. The acknowledgement may comprises the policies. Thereby both communication conditions of the first device 102 and of the second device 104 may be fulfilled and acknowledged before communications can be established between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
Communication pertaining to the first device 102 and the second device 104 may then be enabled between the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154. By utilizing the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 authentication of the first device 102 and the second device 104 may be achieved.
A method for generating a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104 will now be disclosed with reference to Fig. 1 and the timing diagram of Fig. 7. When both the first device 102 and the second device 104 fulfill the requested communication conditions, the following steps may be executed to generate a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104. The digital contract may be viewed as a set of communication rules to be followed by the first device 102 and the second device 104 during subsequent communications between the first device 102 and the second device 104. As for the above disclosed authentication method the first device 102 and the second device 104 communicates indirectly via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154.
In a step S702 the first device 102 sends a request pertaining to a digital contract between the first device 102 and the second device 104 to be generated. The request may be sent via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 to the second device 104. In a substep S702a the first device 102 may request the first trusted device 152 to initiate generation of a digital contract. In the request the first device 102 encloses an actor policy (APA1 ) and a first local contract identifier (CID1 ) to be used for said digital contract. The actor policy APA1 comprises information relating to an access/signature scheme as specified in the digital contract. The
access/signature scheme is related to identification of a node device in the system 100. The access/signature scheme is selected by each of the node devices taking part in the digital contract creation process. Witness rules forming part of the access/signature scheme strengthen that the node device really executed the access/signature scheme at a given instance in time. The local contract identifier CID1 may be a long numerical value that is generated by each node device participating in the digital contract generation process. Each digital contract has two parts. Each part is dedicated to the details of the respective node device. The local contract identifier is used by each node device to identify their part of the digital contract, to enable the respective node device to spot respective access and/or signature schemes as specified according to APA1 .
In a substep S702b the first trusted device 152 may generate its witness policy (WPW1 ) for the received actor policy. Every time the first device 102 executes the access scheme or the signature scheme as specified in the digital contract, a digital witness may be needed to witness that the action is really executed by the first device 102 at a particular time and date (likewise for the second device 104). The policy according to which the digital witness witnesses the action is specified according to a witness policy. The witness policy is defined by the digital witness (which may be the first trusted device 152 for the first device 102 and the second trusted device 154 for the second device 104 or other auxiliary devices, see below) and consists of the signature scheme of the digital witness. The witness policy is generated by the digital witness and is executed whenever the node device to which the digital witness acts as a witness executes one of the access or signature schemes and informs the digital witness that such an action is to be witnessed. The digital witness, while witnessing, adds time stamp information and a digital signature to the witnessed communication pertaining to the required access/signature scheme whereby the digital witness indicates that the node device to which the digital witness acts as a witness really executed the required access/signature scheme.
A witness policy pattern may be specified by a government body (see below). The digital witnesses ensure that the node devices fulfill the witness policy pattern. In order to achieve interoperability between two digital witnesses of e.g. two entities applying different witness policy patterns the digital witnesses may signal that the required policies are fulfilled (instead of exchanging complete, or raw data, digital references). For example, the witness policy pattern may state that the user of the node device should be a legal entity. For example, a digital witness in Sweden will signal the policy fulfillment if the user of the node device provides digital references from the entity Bolagsverket and digital references from the Auditor of the Company etc. associated with the node device as defined by the Swedish Company Registration Law. However, it may be difficult for a digital witness not having information pertaining to the Swedish Company Registration Law to resolve whether or not digital references from Bolagsverket are valid or not. When all the required references are provided by the node device, the digital witness validates the references and finally signals that the policy is fulfilled. I.e. the digital witness transmits an acknowledgement that the digital reference is valid instead of sending the digital reference as raw data.
In a substep S702c the first trusted device 152 may add references of the first device 102 as required by a digital contract configuration point (DCCP). The DCCP is a method of preparing the digital witness to facilitate the digital contract generation process. The preparation is initiated by the node devices (devices 102 and 104 in the present embodiment) and is carried out by the digital witness. The outcome of the preparation process is a DCCP which contains an address to the digital witness and other required details to generate a digital contract. A DCCP is communicated from the second device 104 to the first device 102, In turn the first device 102 may communicate the received DCCP to the first trusted device 152 in order for the first trusted device 152 to be able to create a digital contract pertaining to the
communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104. In a substep S702d the first trusted device 152 may contact the second trusted device 154 with APA1 , WPW1 and references of the first device 102. In a substep S702e the second trusted device 154 may validate the references. In a substep S702f the second trusted device 154 may generate its witness policy (WPW2) for the actor policy (APA2) of the second device 104 previously registered with the second trusted device. In a substep S702g the second trusted device 154 may contact the second device 104 to install the digital contract based on the DCCP by sending APA1 , WPW1 , WPW2 and DCCP to the second device 104. In a substep S702h the second device 104 may install the digital contract.
In a step S704 the second device 104 sends a response pertaining to the digital contract having been installed. The response may also comprise information which may be requested by the first device 102 for the first device 102 to be able to install a digital contract at its end. The response may be sent via the second trusted device 154 and the first trusted device 152 to the first device 102. In a substep S704a the second device 104 may respond to the second trusted device 154 with its actor policy (APA2) and a second local contract identifier (CID2) to be used for said digital contract and with an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been successfully installed. In a substep S704b the second trusted device 154 may install the digital contract for the second device 104 locally at its end. In a substep S704c the second trusted device 154 may acknowledge to the first trusted device 152 that the digital contract has been installed locally by transmitting APA2,
WPW2 and references of the second device 104. In a substep S704d the first trusted device 152 may validate the received references. In a substep S704e the first trusted device 152 may install the digital contract for the first device 102 locally at its end. In a substep S704f the first trusted device 152 may activate the digital contract for the first device 102 at its end. In a substep S704g the first trusted device 152 may transmit to the first device 102 the WPW1 , APA2, and WPW2. The first trusted device 152 may also transmit to the first device 102a the DCCP whereby the first device 102 may identify for which requested digital contract the first trusted device 152 is returning the rules.. The first trusted device 152 may also transmit to the first device 102a an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed at its end. In a substep S704h the first device 102 may install the digital contract in an activated state.
In a step S706 the first device 102 transmits an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed. The acknowledgement may be sent via the first trusted device 152 and the second trusted device 154 to the second device 104. In a substep S706a the first device 102 may transmit an acknowledgement that the digital contract has been installed to the first trusted device 152. In a substep S706b the first trusted device 152 may signal to the second trusted device 154 that the digital contract is activated at the first device 102. In a substep S706c the second trusted device 154 may signal to the second device 104 that the contract is activated at the first device 102.
Optionally, when the reference is transmitted from the first device 102 to the second device 104, or from the second device 104 to the first device 102, references may be encrypted, which may have the general effect of increasing confidentiality and security of the transmission, and in particular increasing confidentiality and security of the transmission of the reference.
The first device 102 may requests a reference of the second device 104 from a third device 106, wherein the reference sent from the third device 106 is addressed to and associated with the first device 102, and wherein the sent message comprising the reference may be encrypted by the third device 106 such that only the first device 102 may decrypt the message part comprising the reference. The first device 102 may for example request information pertaining to identification of the second device 104 as performed by the third device 106.
That is, the third device 106 may perform identification of the second device 104 by comparing references or reference values. The reference values may be Hash values. The reference values may alternative be sequence numbers. The reference may alternative be identity information received from the first device. The references or reference values may be a combination of Hash values, sequence numbers and identity information.
The third device 106 may thus be viewed as a trusted third part. The information pertaining to identification of the second device 104 may be associated with a previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106.
When the first device 102 receives the reference from the third device 106, which reference has been sent from the third device 106 to the first device 102 via the second device 104, the first device 102 may verify the reference by comparing information comprised in the reference with
previously stored information associated with the third device 106, such as a sequence number associated with previous communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106. If the message part comprising the reference has been encrypted by the third device 106 the first device 102 may first need to decrypt the message.
The reference may also be associated with the first device 102 by incorporating an address field in the reference and to add the identity of the first device 102 in the address field. This adds security to the process since the first device 102 may ensure that the information delivered to the third device 106is associated with the first device 102 although the request is sent from the first device 102 to the second device 104 and not from the first device 102 directly to the third device 106. That is, the reference request is received by the second device 104, which second device 104 then forwards the reference request to the third device 106. The third device 106 thus receives the reference request regarding the second device 104 from the second device 104. The third device 106 then sends the reference to the second device 104. The second device 106 thus receives the reference and sends the reference to the first device 102, which receives and verifies the reference.
The first device 102 may then create a first public encryption key for establishing communication from the first device 102 to the second device 104.
The first device 102 then encrypts the received reference with the created first public encryption key. Further, the first device 102 encrypts the created first public encryption key using an additional public encryption key, wherein the additional public encryption key is associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106. The encrypted first public encryption key and the encrypted received reference are then sent from the first device 102 to the second device 104. The second device 104 thus has no knowledge of the first public encryption key as created by the first device 102. In addition the second device 104 has no knowledge of the additional public encryption key associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106. Hence the second device 104 is neither able to decrypt the encrypted first public encryption key nor the encrypted received reference.
In order for the second device 104 to validate the information pertaining to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106 comprised in the encrypted reference the second device 104 forwards the encrypted first public encryption key to the third device 106. This message sent from the second device 104 to the third device 106 further comprises a request pertaining to decryption of the encrypted first public encryption key. Since the first public encryption key has been encrypted with the additional public encryption key which, as stated above, is associated with the previously established communication between the first device 102 and the third device 106, the third device 106 is able to decrypt the encrypted first public encryption key. The decrypted first public encryption key can then be sent back from the third device 106 to the second device 104. For added security the third device 106 may encrypt the decrypted first public encryption key using a further public encryption key using an additional public encryption key, wherein the additional public encryption key is associated with the previously established communication between the third device 106 and the second device 104.
Since the second device 104 knows the further public encryption key which has been used to encrypt the first public encryption key the second device 104 may thus decrypt the received encrypted first public encryption key after reception.
Using the decrypted first public encryption key the second device 104 may thus decrypt the previously received encrypted reference pertaining to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106. The second device 104 may then validate the contents of the reference. That is, by comparing information comprised in the reference to information, such as sequence numbers, comprised in the second device 104, the second device 104 is able to verify that information comprised in reference is correct and indeed pertains to the previously established communication between the second device 104 and the third device 106. If the reference comprises a Hash value (as described above) the second device 104 may calculate the Hash value of the first public encryption key. The second device 104 may then perform a comparison between this calculated Hash value and the Hash value comprised in the reference in order to verify that the reference has not been altered during the transmission from the third device 106 to the first device 102 via the second device 104, or from third device 106 to the second device 104.
An established communication between a first device 102 and a second device 104 may be said to define a digital contract. A digital contract may thus pertain to a digital communications relation between two or more communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, wherein the contract may comprise information pertaining to digital signatures and/or digital witnesses (as will be further disclosed below). A digital contract thus created may be utilized to identify the communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 when the communication device 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14 interacts, or communicates, with other communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14. Digital contracts may be utilized for
authentication, access rights and/or for signature purposes. Digital contracts may therefore be used to retrieve references.
Fig. 3 shows an example of a communications system 300 in which communication has previously been established between the fourth device 202 and devices 102 and 302, respectively, as indicated by the solid lines 308 and 310, and wherein communication has been established between the fifth device 204 and devices 104, 304 and 306, respectively, as indicated by the solid lines 318, 314 and 316. Further, communications is to be established by a first device 102 and a second device 104 as indicated by the dashed line 320. Thus, devices 102, 202 and 302 may be said to represent a first subgroup of the communications system 300 whilst devices 104, 204, 304 and 306 may be said to represent a second sub-group of the communications system 300. The sub-groups may also be said to represent different classes.
The sub-groups may for example represent different geographical locations, such as different nations or countries or parts thereof. Thus, in this case the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may for example represent or, act on the behalf of, different government bodies in the respective countries associated with the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204, respectively. For example, the fourth device 202 may be geographically located in a first nation whilst the fifth device 204 may be geographically located in a second nation different from said first nation. Examples of suitable government bodies may include an agency responsible of handling identification information, such as a national identity register. As such the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may be said to represent so called trusted third parties.
The government bodies in different countries may be associated with an organization, such as a global trust center, which organization may enforce or suggest communication conditions which should be fulfilled by communication devices for the communication devices to be able to establish communication with each other. The organization may thus communicate these communication conditions to the above disclosed master devices.
Moreover, it may be required that the organization certifies the master devices.
In a case the communications system 300 is associated with a corporate company the different sub-groups may represent different departments or divisions within the corporate company. Thus, in this case the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 (which are associated as indicated by the solid line 312) may for example represent different data service centers associated with each department or division associated with the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204, respectively. Other examples include, but are not limited to, different Internet service providers, Internet communities, bank memberships, club memberships, and the like. It is generally a requirement and/or an agreement that the first device 102 and the second device 104 trusts the authority, agency, company, or the like (represented by the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204) offering and/or being responsible of the Internet service, Internet community, bank membership, or club membership. Again, the fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may be said to represent so called trusted third parties. As will be appreciated by the skilled person these are just a few examples in which the invention may apply. In general, it may thus be assumed that at least one device in each sub-group (here exemplified by the fourth device 202 in the first sub-group and the fifth device 204 in the second sub-group, respectively) has
established communication with a device in another sub-group. Further, in some cases it may be assumed that one of the sub-group devices (such as the fourth device 202 in the first sub-group and the fifth device 204 in the second sub-group, respectively) acts as a government body which may be responsible for issuing memberships to each device in the sub-group.
In addition, a communication device may be associated with a plurality of different sub-groups, wherein each associated sub-group pertains to different applications. For example, on the one hand a communication device may be associated with a bank membership, and on the other hand the communication device may simultaneously be associated with an Internet community.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a communications system 400, similar to the communications system 300 of Fig. 3 in which the invention may be applied . As in Fig. 3 the first device 102 wishes to establish
communications to the second device 104 as indicated by the dash-dotted line 422, wherein the first device 102 is associated with a first sub-group via the fourth device 202 and the second device 104 is associated with a second sub-group via the fifth device 204 as indicated by solid lines. According to the scenario as disclosed in Fig. 4 the first sub-group comprises devices 102, 202 and 412, whereas the second sub-group comprises devices 104, 204 and 420. With reference to the above the first and second sub-groups may represent different countries. For example the first sub-group may represent devices in a first country and the second sub-group may represent devices in a second country. The fourth device 202 and the fifth device 204 may then act as government bodies.
In this example the first device 102 is further associated with a third sub-group comprising devices 102, 406, 408 and 410 as indicated by dashed lines and with a fourth sub-group comprising devices 102, 414, 416 and 418 as indicated by dotted lines. For example the third sub-group may represent devices associated with the same bank, whereas the fourth sub-group may represent devices associated with the same Internet service provider.
Fig. 5 shows a schematic diagram of a communications system 500, similar to the communications system 100 of Fig. 1 in which the invention may apply. As in the communications system 100 of Fig. 1 , the communications system 200 comprises a number of communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 502, 504 which may or may not be able to communicate with each other.
In the following it will be assumed that the system 500 is in a state of operation.
As for the method disclosed above with reference to the
communications system 100 of Fig. 1 , a first device 102, denoted a first device, wishes to establish a communication with a second device 104, denoted a second device, in the communications system 500. As in Fig. 1 solid lines 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526 between two communication devices 102, 104, 106, 108, 1 10, 1 12, 1 14, 502, 504 represents that communication has previously been established between the two communication devices at each end of the solid line 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, 526. That is, as in the exemplary scenario of Fig. 500 communication has previously been established e.g. between the first device 102 and the third device 106, between the first device 102 and a first auxiliary device 502, between the second device 104 and the third device 106, and between the second device 104 and a second auxiliary device 504. As indicated by the dashed line 528 communications is to be established between the first device 102 and the second device 104.
The first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504, respectively, may be said to represent digital witnesses for the first device 102 and the second device 104, respectively. That is, it may be required that all communications relations established involving the first device 102 are monitored by the first auxiliary device 502. More generally, it may thus be required that all communications relations are monitored by auxiliary devices; a first auxiliary device 502 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the first device 102, whilst a second auxiliary device 504 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the second device 102. The monitoring process of the first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504 may thus be said to involve capturing message transaction information, such as the sender and/or recipient of the message. The monitoring process of the first and second auxiliary devices 502, 504 may also comprise supplying the transmitted messages with a time stamp and/or a digital signature. Time stamps and digital signatures per se are known in the art and will thus not be further discussed in this disclosure. When establishing communication between a first device 102 and a second device 104 the first auxiliary device 502 of the first device 102 and the second auxiliary device 504 of the second device 204 may also be required to establish
communication.
Next, with reference to the communications system 500 of Fig. 5 the process of terminating established communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104 will be disclosed. However the process applies also to the communications systems 100, 200, 300 and 400 of Figs. 1 -4, mutatis mutandis.
Firstly, it is to be understood that in a case the first auxiliary device 502 monitors the operations of, and/or the messages sent and received by, the first device 102, the messages sent by the first device 102 comprise two digital signatures; one digital signature associated with the first device 102 and one digital signature associated with the first auxiliary device 502.
Thus in a case the first auxiliary device 502 monitors all
communications relations established by the first device 102 the first device 102 may terminate the established communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104 by sending a message to the first auxiliary device 502, wherein the message comprises information stating that the first auxiliary device 502 shall not insert a digital signature into the monitored message. That is, in this case the messages sent by the first device 102 comprise one digital signature, which digital signature is associated with the first device 102. If the second device 104 receives a message not comprising a digital signature of the first auxiliary device 502 the second device 502 may choose to classify the received message as incomplete and may thus further ignore its contents. Since the second device 104 ignore the contents of the received message the established communication from the first device 102 to the second device 104, and/or the established communication between the first device 102 and the second device 104 may be said to have been terminated. Alternatively, the second device 104 may send a message to the first device 102 stating that the received messages was interpreted as incomplete since the received message did not comprise a digital signature of the first auxiliary device 502.
The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.

Claims

1 . A method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, said method comprising
- sending, from said first device to said second device, a request
pertaining to establishing a communications relation between said first device and said second device;
- sending, from said second device to said first device, at least an
identification of a second trusted device;
- sending, from said first device, said identification of said second
trusted device to a first trusted device;
- sending, from said first trusted device to said second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which said second device requires said first device to fulfill for said second device to establish communication with said first device;
- sending, from said second trusted device, said communication
conditions to said first trusted device;
- sending, from said first trusted device to said first device, on a
condition that said first device fulfills said communication conditions, an acknowledgement; and
- sending, from said second trusted device to said second device, in response to sending said communication conditions to said first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising
- sending, from said second device to said second trusted device, said communication conditions.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising
- forwarding, from said second trusted device to said second device, said request.
4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising
- sending, from said first trusted device to said first device, on a
condition that said first device does not fulfill said communication conditions, information pertaining to required communication conditions.
5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said communication conditions pertain to policies in a group of digital signatures, and/or levels of security.
6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising
- sending, from said first trusted device to said second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which said first device requires said second device to fulfill for said first device to establish communication with said second device.
7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising
- sending, from said second trusted device to said first trusted device, on a condition that said second device fulfils said communication conditions, an acknowledgement.
8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising
- sending, from said first trusted device to said second trusted device, on a condition that said first device fulfils said communication conditions, an acknowledgement.
9. The method according to claim 5, wherein said acknowledgement comprises said policies.
10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising
- sending, from said first device, a requests pertaining to a digital
contract between said first device and said second device to be generated.
1 1 . The method according to claim 10, wherein said request is sent via said first trusted device and said second trusted device to said second device.
12. The method according to claim 10 or 1 1 , further comprising
- sending, from said second device, an acknowledgement pertaining to said digital contract having been installed at said second device.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said acknowledgement is sent via said second trusted device and said first trusted device to said first device.
14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13 , further comprising
- sending, from said first device, an acknowledgement pertaining to said digital contract having been installed at said first device.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said acknowledgement is sent via said first trusted device and said second trusted device to said second device.
16. A method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, said method comprising
- sending, to said second device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between said first device and said second device;
- receiving, from said second device, at least an identification of a
second trusted device;
- sending, from said first device, said identification of said second
trusted device to a first trusted device; and - receiving, on a condition that said first device fulfills communication conditions which said second device requires said first device to fulfill for said second device to establish communication with said first device, an acknowledgement from said first trusted device.
17. A method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, said method comprising
- receiving, from said first device, a request pertaining to establishing a communications relation between said first device and said second device;
- sending, to said first device, at least an identification of a second
trusted device; and
- receiving, from a second trusted device, in response to said second trusted device sending communication conditions, which said second device requires said first device to fulfill for said second device to establish communication with said first device, to a first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
18. A method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, said method comprising
- receiving, from said first device, an identification of said second trusted device;
- sending, from said first trusted device to said second trusted device, a request pertaining to communication conditions which said second device requires said first device to fulfill for said second device to establish communication with said first device;
- sending, from said second trusted device, said communication
conditions to said first trusted device; and
- sending, from said first trusted device to said first device, on a
condition that said first device fulfills said communication conditions, an acknowledgement.
19. A method for authentication of a first device and/or a second device, said method comprising
- receiving, from a first trusted device, a request pertaining to
communication conditions which said second device requires said first device to fulfill for said second device to establish communication with said first device;
- sending, said communication conditions to said first trusted device; and
- sending, from said second trusted device to said second device, in response to sending said communication conditions to said first trusted device, an acknowledgement.
20. A device, comprising circuitry configured to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 -19.
21 . A computer program product, comprising computer program code which is stored on a computer-readable storage medium and which, when executed on a processor, carries out the method according to any one of claims 1 -19.
PCT/SE2010/050005 2010-01-04 2010-01-04 Secure digital communications WO2011081589A1 (en)

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