Universal secure messaging for cryptographic modules
View Patent ↗An anonymous secure messaging method and system for securely exchanging information between a host computer system and a functionally connected cryptographic module. The invention comprises a Host Security Manager application in processing communications with a security executive program installed inside the cryptographic module. An SSL-like communications pathway is established between the host computer system and the cryptographic module. The initial session keys are generated by the host and securely exchanged using a PKI key pair associated with the cryptographic module. The secure communications pathway allows presentation of critical security parameter (CSP) without clear text disclosure of the CSP and further allows use of the generated session keys as temporary substitutes of the CSP for the session in which the session keys were created.
1. A secure messaging system, comprising:
a host security manager, provided on a host, that generates a session key pair and associates at least one session key of the session key pair with a unique session identifier and performs a secure key exchange with a cryptographic module, wherein a session key associated with said unique session identifier is securely provided to the cryptographic module, and wherein the host security manager performs counterpart cryptographic functions on at least a portion of information exchanged between the host and the cryptographic module that includes a credential and information of the secure key exchange corresponding to at least one of the session keys; and
a security executive application, provided on the cryptographic module, that generates the unique session identifier and associates the unique session identifier with the exchanged key, wherein the security executive application performs counterpart cryptographic functions on at least a portion of the information exchanged between the host and the cryptographic module and verifies the credential initially before unlocking a credential protected application and wherein, after initial verification of the credential, the at least one of the session keys is temporarily granted permission to unlock the credential protected application for the duration of a session between the host and the cryptographic module, and wherein subsequent access to the credential protected application during the session is allowed by using the at least one of the session keys as a surrogate for the credential.
2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the security executive application further shares the unique session identifier with the host security manager application.
3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the cryptographic functions includes encryption, decryption and message authentication.
4. The system according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the cryptographic functions are performed using the session key pair.
5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the credential includes a critical security parameter (CSP).
6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the security executive application further allows the session key pair to act as a temporary surrogate of the CSP after successfully performing a prerequisite initial authentication using the CSP.
7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the temporary surrogate remains valid for at least a portion of a session.
8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the session is reactivated.
9. The system according to the claim 1 , wherein the pair of session keys include a pair of identical session keys.