Method and apparatus for synchronizing an adaptable security level in an electronic communication
A method of communicating in a secure communication system, comprises the steps of assembling as message at a sender, then determining a security level, and including an indication of the security level in a header of the message. The message is then sent to a recipient.
1. A method of communicating in a secure communication network, comprising:
receiving expected security level data for a plurality of correspondents, wherein the expected security level data indicate that two or more of the plurality of correspondents have different expected security levels;
determining a group security level that is acceptable to all of the plurality of correspondents based on the expected security level data;
sending a group security level data to a sender, the group security level data indicating the group security level; and
receiving, from the sender, a frame for transmission to the plurality of correspondents, the frame includes data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expected security level data includes a set of expected security levels, and the method further comprises:
performing an ordering of the set; and
sending a result of the ordering to the sender.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forwarding the frame to one of the plurality of correspondents.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the expected security level data includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.
7. A computer program product encoded on a tangible, non-transitory storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving expected security level data for a plurality of correspondents, wherein the expected security level data indicate that two or more of the plurality of correspondents have different expected security levels;
determining a group security level that is acceptable to all of the plurality of correspondents based on the expected security level data;
sending a group security level data to a sender, the group security level data indicating the group security level; and
receiving, from the sender, a frame for transmission to the plurality of correspondents, the frame includes data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.
8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the expected security level data includes a set of expected security levels, and the operations further comprise:
performing an ordering of the set; and
sending a result of the ordering to the sender wherein the operations further comprises.
9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.
10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein operations further comprise forwarding the frame to one of the plurality of correspondents.
11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the expected security data includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.
12. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.
13. A computing device in a communication network, the computing device comprising:
one or more physical processors configured to:
receive expected security level data for a plurality of correspondents, wherein the expected security level data indicate that two or more of the plurality of correspondents have different expected security levels;
determine a group security level that is acceptable to all of the plurality of correspondents based on the expected security level data;
send a group security level data to a sender, the group security level data indicating the group security level; and
receive, from the sender, a frame for transmission to the plurality of correspondents, the frame includes data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.
14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the expected security level data includes a set of expected security levels, and the one or more physical processors are further configured to:
perform an ordering of the set; and
send a result of the ordering to the sender wherein the operations further comprises.
15. The computing device of claim 14 , wherein the ordering is a Cartesian product of a natural ordering for encryption and a natural ordering for authentication.
16. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the one or more physical processors are further configured to forward the frame to one of the plurality of correspondents.
17. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the expected security level data includes a partial ordering of a set of expected security levels.
18. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the security level for the frame is either higher than the group security level or equal to the group security level.