IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,686,249
Granted Patent B2
US 9,686,249 · App. 15/183,180 · Granted Jun 20, 2017

Multi-node encryption

Inventors: Robert F. Houghton (Pocatello, ID); Jeffrey J. Johnson (Smithfield, UT)
Assignee: Utah State University
H04L63/0428H04L63/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,686,249
App. No.
15/183,180
Granted
Jun 20, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

For multi-node encryption, a method communicates communication data from a first upstream node to a first downstream node in response to the first upstream node initiating secure communication with the first downstream node. The method further generates a downstream node nonce from communication data exchanged with the first downstream node. The method generates a first downstream message transformation as a function of the downstream node nonce. The method receives a request encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node. The method communicates the upstream message transformation encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node to the destination node in response to the request. In addition, the method generates a tunnel transformation at the destination node as a function of one or more upstream message transformations and the first downstream message transformation.

Claims (40)

1. A method comprising:

communicating, by use of a processor, communication data from a first upstream node to a first downstream node in response to the first upstream node initiating secure communication with the first downstream node;

generating a downstream node nonce from the communication data exchanged with the first downstream node;

generating a first downstream message transformation as a function of the downstream node nonce, wherein the downstream node nonce is an input to a message transformation generator;

receiving a request encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node from a destination node that is downstream of the first downstream node, wherein the request is for an upstream message transformation that is shared between the first upstream node and a second upstream node that is upstream of the first upstream node;

communicating the upstream message transformation encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node to the destination node in response to the request; and

generating a tunnel transformation at the destination node as a function of one or more upstream message transformations and the first downstream message transformation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downstream node nonce further identifies the first downstream message transformation from a message transformation table.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication by communicating a token.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication through port knocking.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first downstream message transformation and the tunnel transformation are generated on an open system interconnection (OSI) layer.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication data comprises an Internet control message protocol (ICMP) message.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a source node communicates with the destination node through a plurality of paths, each of the plurality of paths has a unique tunnel transformation, and the method further comprises generating a tunnel transformation index that determines when to apply each tunnel transformation to a received secure message.

8. A program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:

communicating communication data from a first upstream node to a first downstream node in response to the first upstream node initiating secure communication with the first downstream node;

generating a downstream node nonce from the communication data exchanged with the first downstream node;

generating a first downstream message transformation as a function of the downstream node nonce, wherein the downstream node nonce is an input to a message transformation generator;

receiving a request encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node from a destination node that is downstream of the first downstream node, wherein the request is for an upstream message transformation that is shared between the first upstream node and a second upstream node that is upstream of the first upstream node;

communicating the upstream message transformation encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node to the destination node in response to the request; and

generating a tunnel transformation at the destination node as a function of one or more upstream message transformations and the first downstream message transformation.

9. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the downstream node nonce further identifies the first downstream message transformation from a message transformation table.

10. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication by communicating a token.

11. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication through port knocking.

12. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the first downstream message transformation and the tunnel transformation are generated on an open system interconnection (OSI) layer.

13. The program product of claim 8 , wherein the communication data comprises an Internet control message protocol (ICMP) message.

14. The program product of claim 8 , wherein a source node communicates with the destination node through a plurality of paths, each of the plurality of paths has a unique tunnel transformation, and the processor further generates a tunnel transformation index that determines when to apply each tunnel transformation to a received secure message.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory that stores code executable by the processor to perform:

communicating communication data from a first upstream node to a first downstream node in response to the first upstream node initiating secure communication with the first downstream node;

generating a downstream node nonce from the communication data exchanged with the first downstream node;

generating a first downstream message transformation as a function of the downstream node nonce, wherein the downstream node nonce is an input to a message transformation generator;

receiving a request encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node from a destination node that is downstream of the first downstream node, wherein the request is for an upstream message transformation that is shared between the first upstream node and a second upstream node that is upstream of the first upstream node;

communicating the upstream message transformation encrypted with the first downstream message transformation through the first downstream node to the destination node in response to the request; and

generating a tunnel transformation at the destination node as a function of one or more upstream message transformations and the first downstream message transformation.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the downstream node nonce further identifies the first downstream message transformation from a message transformation table.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication by communicating a token.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first upstream node initiates secure communication through port knocking.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first downstream message transformation and the tunnel transformation are generated on an open system interconnection (OSI) layer.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein a source node communicates with the destination node through a plurality of paths, each of the plurality of paths has a unique tunnel transformation, and the processor further generates a tunnel transformation index that determines when to apply each tunnel transformation to a received secure message.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2020
From: UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
To: CYBERLINGUAL, LLC
Reel/Frame 052780/0304 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: HOUGHTON, ROBERT F; JOHNSON, JEFFREY J.
To: UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 038988/0444 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14499943 · Sep 29, 2014
Related Publication 20160294789A1 · Oct 6, 2016