Device-based password management
View Patent ↗A first device (e.g. smartphone) manages a first key (e.g. password) required for a security operation with a second device (e.g., WWW server) by calculating and storing a key seed using the first key and a second key shared with a third device (e.g., wireless headset). Later (e.g., upon losing communication with the third device), at least a portion of the first and second keys is/are erased to prevent the security operation. Subsequently (e.g., when communication with third device is reestablished), the first key is regenerated by (1) receiving a key hint from the third device, (2) regenerating the second key using the key hint and a known message used to create the key hint, and (3) regenerating the first key using the key seed and the regenerated second key.
1. A method by which a first device manages a first key required for execution of a security operation with a second device, comprising:
calculating and storing a key seed during a period in which the first key is stored in a memory of the first device, the key seed being calculated by a first cryptographic operation using the first key and a second key shared with a third device;
subsequently erasing at least a portion of the first and second keys to prevent execution of the security operation by the first device; and
during a subsequent period in which the first device is in communication with the third device:
receiving a key hint from the third device, the key hint being generated by a second cryptographic operation at the third device using the second key and a message known to the first device;
regenerating the second key using the key hint and the known message; and
regenerating the first key by performing a third cryptographic operation using the key seed and the regenerated second key;
wherein the third device is a portable device that is in communication with the first device when located with the first device and is not in communication with the first device when located away from the first device;
wherein the subsequent period in which the first device is in communication with the third device is a period in which the third device is co-located with the first device following an immediately preceding period in which the third device is not co-located with the first device and not in communication with the first device; and
the erasing is performed during the immediately preceding period.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first key is password or personal identification number of a user of the first device, and the security operation is a login process of an online service provided via the second device.
3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the second key is an encryption key used in symmetric key encryption of communications between the first device and the third device unrelated to the security operation.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the third device is a peripheral input/output device for the first device.
5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the peripheral input/output device is a wireless audio headset.
6. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the peripheral input/output device is operative to engage in a pairing operation with the first device by which the second key is established.
7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein the second key is an encryption key used in symmetric key encryption of communications between the first device and the peripheral input/output device.
8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein regenerating the second key includes brute-force searching of at least a portion of a key space containing the second key.
9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the portion of the key space is a sub-space defined by a retained portion of the second key which is retained during the erasing, and wherein regenerating the second key includes regenerating an erased portion of the second key and combining the regenerated erased portion with the retained portion.
10. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the key hint includes predictable data conveyed from the third device to the first device in a normal operation unrelated to the security operation.
11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein the predictable data is a response provided in a challenge-response exchange constituting the normal operation between the first device and the third device.
12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein at least one of the key hint and the known message is one of multiple key hints and/or known messages respectively, the multiple key hints and/or known messages being used in the regenerating of the second key.
13. A device operative as a first device to manage a first key required for execution of a security operation with a second device, comprising:
a processor;
memory;
input/output circuitry providing communications between the first device and both the second device and a third device; and
interconnect circuitry operative to communicatively connect the processor, memory and input/output circuitry together,
the processor executes program instructions from the memory to perform a method of managing the first key, the method including:
calculating and storing a key seed during a period in which the first key is stored in the memory, the key seed being calculated by a first cryptographic operation using the first key and a second key shared with the third device, the key seed and second key being stored in the memory;
subsequently erasing at least a portion of the first and second keys from the memory to prevent execution of the security operation by the first device; and
during a subsequent period in which the first device is in communication with the third device:
receiving a key hint from the third device, the key hint being generated by a second cryptographic operation at the third device using the second key and a message known to the first device;
regenerating the second key using the key hint and the known message; and
regenerating the first key by performing a third cryptographic operation using the key seed and the regenerated second key;
wherein the third device is a portable device that is in communication with the first device when located with the first device and is not in communication with the first device when located away from the first device;
wherein the subsequent period in which the first device is in communication with the third device is a period in which the third device is co-located with the first device following an immediately preceding period in which the third device is not co-located with the first device and not in communication with the first device; and
the erasing is performed during the immediately preceding period.
14. A device according to claim 13 , wherein the first key is password or personal identification number of a user of the first device, and the security operation is a login process of an online service provided via the second device.
15. A device according to claim 13 , wherein the second key is an encryption key used in symmetric key encryption of communications between the first device and the third device unrelated to the security operation.
16. A device according to claim 13 , wherein the third device is a peripheral input/output device for the first device.
17. A device according to claim 16 , wherein the peripheral input/output device is a wireless audio headset.
18. A device according to claim 16 , wherein the peripheral input/output device is operative to engage in a pairing operation with the first device by which the second key is established.
19. A device according to claim 18 , wherein the second key is an encryption key used in symmetric key encryption of communications between the first device and the peripheral input/output device.
20. A device according to claim 13 , wherein regenerating the second key includes brute-force searching of at least a portion of a key space containing the second key.
21. A device according to claim 20 , wherein the portion of the key space is a sub-space defined by a retained portion of the second key which is retained during the erasing, and wherein regenerating the second key includes regenerating an erased portion of the second key and combining the regenerated erased portion with the retained portion.
22. A device according to claim 13 , wherein the key hint includes predictable data conveyed from the third device to the first device in a normal operation unrelated to the security operation.
23. A device according to claim 22 , wherein the predictable data is a response provided in a challenge-response exchange constituting the normal operation between the first device and the third device.
24. A device according to claim 23 , wherein at least one of the key hint and the known message is one of multiple key hints and/or known messages respectively, the multiple key hints and/or known messages being used in the regenerating of the second key.