IP Library Granted Patent US 11,792,204
Granted Patent B2
US 11,792,204 · App. 17/014,120 · Granted Oct 17, 2023

Dynamic level authentication/encryption

Inventors: Douglas Max Grover (Provo, UT); Michael F. Angelo (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Micro Focus LLC
H04L63/105G06F21/62H04L9/14H04L63/0457H04L63/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,792,204
App. No.
17/014,120
Granted
Oct 17, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Results of an authentication process are received. The authentication process allows for a graded level of authentication using a plurality of authentication types (e.g., a username/password and a fingerprint scan). Encrypted data is then accessed. The encrypted data has been encrypted using a plurality of encryption levels. The data is unencrypted based on the graded level of authentication. In a second embodiment, a system and method are provided that establish a communication session (e.g., a voice or email communication session). The communication session is between a plurality of users. During the communication session, an indication is received to change an encryption level for the communication session. In response to receiving the indication to change the encryption level for the communication session, an encryption level of the first communication session is dynamically changed from a first level of encryption to a second level of encryption.

Claims (40)

1. A system comprising:

a microprocessor; and

a computer readable medium, coupled with the microprocessor and comprising microprocessor readable and executable instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to:

establish a first communication session, wherein the first communication session is between a plurality of users;

during the first communication session, receive an indication to change an encryption level for the first communication session;

in response to receiving the indication to change the encryption level for the first communication session, dynamically changing the encryption level of the first communication session from a first level of encryption to a second level of encryption, wherein the first level of encryption is higher than the second level of encryption and wherein a first user of the plurality of users does not have access to an encryption key to decrypt the first level of encryption;

receive a request from a second user of the plurality of users who has access to an encryption key to decrypt the first level of encryption; and

grant the first user access to the first level of encryption, wherein the access is only granted for the first communication session or a period of time in the first communication session.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication session is a text based communication session, wherein the first communication session contains an attachment, which, when added, is encrypted at a different encryption level than an email thread where the attachment was added.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication session is a video communication session, wherein the video communication session comprises a plurality of portions and wherein the plurality of portions are encrypted using a plurality of encryption levels concurrently.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of encryption levels are based on a plurality of encrypted overlays.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication session is a text based communication session, wherein at least one thread of the first communication session is from a first user of the plurality of users, and wherein the at least one thread of the first communication session is encrypted using a plurality of encryption levels.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the indication to change the encryption level of the first communication session is based on at least one of: a key word, a key phrase, information in an image, information in a document, a selection of a button, machine learning, a location of a communication device involved in the first communication session, an access location of the communication device involved in the first communication session, a time of day, a type of encryption used in the first communication session, documents used in the first communication session, a type of the first communication session, and identifying similarities of key words in the first communication session.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the microprocessor to:

identify a second communication session that is related to the first communication session based on a context of the first communication session; and

initiate encryption of the second communication session or suggest encryption of the second communication session based on the context of the first communication session.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption are based on: a plurality of key banks of encryption keys that are different for the plurality of users; or a fragmented encryption key.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption are based on the plurality of key banks of encryption keys and wherein the first communication session comprises three or more users that communicate in the first communication session using different encryption levels.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the microprocessor to:

send the at least a portion of first communication session outside a secure network, a secure location, and/or an enterprise; and

in response to sending the at least a portion of the first communication session outside the secure network, the secure location, and/or the enterprise, changing one or more of the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption to a higher level of encryption.

11. A method comprising:

establishing, by a microprocessor, a communication session, wherein the first communication session is between a plurality of users;

during the first communication session, receiving, by the microprocessor, an indication to change an encryption level for the first communication session;

in response to receiving the indication to change the encryption level for the first communication session, dynamically changing, by the microprocessor, the encryption level of the first communication session from a first level of encryption to a second level of encryption, wherein first level of encryption is higher than the second level of encryption and wherein a first user of the plurality of users does not have access to an encryption key to decrypt the first level of encryption;

receive a request from a second user of the plurality of users who has access to an encryption key to decrypt the first level of encryption; and

grant the first user access to the first level of encryption, wherein the access is only granted for the first communication session or a period of time in the first communication session.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first communication session is a text based communication session, wherein the first communication session contains an attachment, which, when added, is encrypted at a different encryption level than an email thread where the attachment was added.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first communication session is a video communication session, wherein the video communication session comprises a plurality of portions and wherein the plurality of portions are encrypted using a plurality of encryption levels concurrently.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of encryption levels are based on a plurality of encrypted overlays.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first communication session is a text based communication session, wherein at least one thread of the first communication session is from a first user of the plurality of users, and wherein the at least one thread of the first communication session is encrypted using a plurality of encryption levels.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the indication to change the encryption level of the first communication session is based on at least one of: a key word, a key phrase, information in an image, information in a document, a selection of a button, machine learning, a location of a communication device involved in the first communication session, an access location of the communication device involved in the first communication session, a time of day, a type of encryption used in the first communication session, documents used in the first communication session, a type of the first communication session, and identifying similarities of key words in the first communication session.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

identifying, by the microprocessor, a second communication session that is related to the first communication session based on a context of the first communication session; and

initiating, by the microprocessor, encryption of the second communication session or suggest encryption of the second communication session based on the context of the first communication session.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption are based on: a plurality of key banks of encryption keys that are different for the plurality of users; or a fragmented encryption key.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption are based on the plurality of key banks of encryption keys and wherein the first communication session comprises three or more users that communicate in the first communication session using different encryption levels.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

sending, by the microprocessor, the at least a portion of first communication session outside a secure network, a secure location, and/or an enterprise; and

in response to sending the at least a portion of the first communication session outside the secure network, the secure location, and/or the enterprise, changing, by the microprocessor, one or more of the first level of encryption and the second level of encryption to a higher level of encryption.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST REEL/FRAME 055514/0345 Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MICRO FOCUS LLC; MICRO FOCUS SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A NOVELL, INC.); NETIQ CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062625/0796 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST REEL/FRAME 056011/0887 Recorded Feb 2, 2023
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MICRO FOCUS LLC; MICRO FOCUS SOFTWARE INC. (F/K/A NOVELL, INC.); NETIQ CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062626/0389 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 5, 2021
From: MICRO FOCUS LLC (F/K/A ENTIT SOFTWARE LLC); MICRO FOCUS SOFTWARE INC.; NETIQ CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 056011/0887 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 5, 2021
From: MICRO FOCUS LLC (F/K/A ENTIT SOFTWARE LLC); MICRO FOCUS SOFTWARE INC.; NETIQ CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 055514/0345 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 8, 2020
From: GROVER, DOUGLAS MAX; ANGELO, MICHAEL F.
To: MICRO FOCUS LLC
Reel/Frame 053710/0643 →