Method of embedding information in implementation defined SIP header fields
View Patent ↗A method is provided for passing control messages and other information through a SIP network by embedding the information in SIP messages. The information is sent from one SIP agent to another by encrypting the information, embedding the encrypted information in one or more implementation-defined SIP header fields, and transmitting a SIP message that includes the field or fields in which the information is embedded.
1. A method for sending selected information from one Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) end-point agent to another SIP end-point agent, the method comprising:
selecting the information to be sent;
encrypting the information by a processor;
selecting one or more header fields of an SIP message to be sent from the SIP end-point agent, the selected header fields each having a first portion defined according to the SIP protocol as representing a transactional characteristic of the header field and a second portion representing identification information specific to the SIP message;
embedding, by a processor, the encrypted information in the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields;
prepending, by a processor, the encrypted information with a user-defined initial search string previously exchanged between the SIP end-point agents, wherein the user-defined initial search string indicates the presence of the encrypted information to be recovered from the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields, and wherein an initial character of the user-defined initial search string indexes a parameter-value pair format, command format or message format of the encrypted information to which the user-defined initial search string is prepended; and
transmitting the SIP message that includes said selected field or fields, wherein the encrypted information embedded in the second portion of the one or more selected fields will not be read for information content by intermediate SIP agents in the transmission path between the SIP end-point agents.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-defined initial search string is determined prior to a communication of the selected information to which the user-defined initial search string pertains.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user-defined initial search string comprises a value which indicates that data following it represents one of command, message, advertisement, request or reply data.
4. A method for at least one Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) end-point agent to receive information from another SIP end-point agent, wherein the information is selected and encrypted at the another SIP end-point agent for transmission to the at least one SIP end-point agent, the method comprising:
receiving, at a receiver of the at least one SIP end-point agent, an SIP message that includes SIP header fields, at least one of which is characterized by having a first portion defined according to the SIP protocol as representing a transactional characteristic of the header fields and a second portion representing identification information specific to the SIP message, and wherein the encrypted information is embedded in the second portion of the header field by the another SIP end-point agent;
extracting, by a processor of the at least one SIP end-point agent, embedded information from one or more of said second portion of said SIP header fields based on a user-defined initial search string previously exchanged between the SIP end-point agents, wherein the user-defined initial search string indicates the presence of the encrypted information to be recovered from the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields, and wherein an initial character of the user-defined initial search string indexes a parameter-value pair format, command format or message format of the encrypted information to which the user-defined initial search string is prepended; and
decrypting, by the at least one SIP end-point agent, the extracted information, wherein the encrypted information embedded in the second portion of the one or more header fields is not read for information content by intermediate SIP agents in the transmission path between the SIP end-point agents.
5. A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) end-point agent comprising:
a processor configured to:
select the information to be sent to another SIP end-point agent;
encrypt the information;
select one or more header fields of an SIP message to be sent from the SIP end-point agent, the selected header fields each having a first portion defined according to the SIP protocol as representing a transactional characteristic of the header field and a second portion representing identification information specific to the SIP message;
embed the encrypted information in the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields;
prepend the encrypted information with a user-defined initial search string previously exchanged between the SIP end-point agents, wherein the user-defined initial search string indicates the presence of the encrypted information to be recovered from the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields, and wherein an initial character of the user-defined initial search string indexes a parameter-value pair format, command format or message format of the encrypted information to which the user-defined initial search string is prepended; and
transmit the SIP message that includes said selected field or fields, wherein the encrypted information embedded in the second portion of the one or more selected fields will not be read for information content by intermediate SIP agents in the transmission path between the SIP end-point agents.
6. The SIP end-point agent of claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine the user-defined initial search string prior to a communication of the selected information to which the user-defined initial search string pertains.
7. The SIP end-point agent of claim 5 , wherein the user-defined initial search string comprises a value which indicates that data following it represents one of command, message, advertisement, request or reply data.
8. A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) end-point agent configured to receive information from another SIP end-point agent, wherein the information is selected and encrypted at the another SIP end-point agent for transmission to the SIP end-point agent, the SIP end-point agent comprising:
a receiver configured to:
receive an SIP message that includes SIP header fields, at least one of which is characterized by having a first portion defined according to the SIP protocol as representing a transactional characteristic of the header fields and a second portion representing identification information specific to the SIP message, and wherein the encrypted information is embedded in the second portion of the header field; and
a processor configured to:
extract embedded information from one or more of said second portion of said SIP header fields based on a user-defined initial search string previously exchanged between the SIP end-point agents, wherein the user-defined initial search string indicates the presence of the encrypted information to be recovered from the second portion of the one or more selected SIP header fields, and wherein an initial character of the user-defined initial search string indexes a parameter-value pair format, command format or message format of the the encrypted information to which the user-defined initial search string is prepended; and
decrypt the extracted information, wherein the encrypted information embedded in the second portion of the one or more header fields is not read for information content by intermediate SIP agents in the transmission path between the SIP end-point agents.