IP Library Granted Patent US 9,455,830
Granted Patent B2
US 9,455,830 · App. 14/304,057 · Granted Sep 27, 2016

Method for securing credentials in a remote repository

Inventors: Avinash Chidambaram (Mississauga, CA); Matthew John Campagna (Ridgefield, CT)
Assignees: BlackBerry Limited; Certicom Corp.
H04L9/0863H04L9/0841H04L9/32H04L9/3252H04L9/3297H04L2209/42
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,455,830
App. No.
14/304,057
Granted
Sep 27, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of securing user credentials in a remote repository is provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising generating a first private key and a first public key pair from a registered password; generating a second private key and a second public key pair; generating a storage key from the second private key and the first public key; encrypting a set of credentials using the storage key; creating a encrypted credential signature from the encrypted set of credentials and the first private key; and storing the encrypted set of credentials, the encrypted credential signature, and the second public key in the remote repository.

Claims (60)

1. A method implemented by a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving, from a remote repository,

an ephemeral public key,

an encrypted set of credentials, the encrypted set of credentials including at least a credential password, and

a signature for the set of credentials;

obtaining a further password;

generating, based on the further password, a static private key;

verifying the signature using the static private key;

generating, from the static private key and from the ephemeral public key, using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a storage key;

decrypting the encrypted set of credentials using the storage key, thereby creating a decrypted set of credentials; and

storing, at least in part, the decrypted set of credentials at the communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the further password from a user input device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein verifying the signature using the static private key utilizes an elliptical curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) verification function.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the storage key from the static private key and the ephemeral public key utilizes an elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman scheme.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of credentials further includes a user identification (user ID).

6. A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the communication device to:

receive, from a remote repository,

a public key,

an encrypted set of credentials, the encrypted set of credentials including at least a credential password, and

a signature for the set of credentials;

obtain a further password;

generate, based on the further password, a static private key;

verify the signature using the static private key;

generate, from the static private key and from the ephemeral public key, using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a storage key;

decrypt the encrypted set of credentials using the storage key, thereby creating a decrypted set of credentials; and

store, at least in part, the decrypted set of credentials at the communication device.

7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive the further password from a user input device.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the processor utilizes an elliptical curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) verification function to verify the signature using the static private key.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the processor utilizes an elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman scheme to generate the storage key from the static private key and the ephemeral public key.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the set of credentials further includes a user identification (user ID).

11. A method implemented by a communication device, the method comprising:

obtaining a password;

generating, from the password, a static private key;

generating, from the static private key and using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a static public key;

generating an ephemeral private key;

generating, from the ephemeral private key and the static public key, using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a storage key;

encrypting a set of credentials using the storage key, the set of credentials including at least a credential password, thereby creating an encrypted set of credentials;

creating a signature of the encrypted set of credentials by signing with the static private key, using the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm; and

sending the encrypted set of credentials and the signature to a remote repository.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

generating, from the ephemeral private key, an ephemeral public key, wherein the ephemeral private key and the ephemeral public key are an ephemeral key pair.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising sending the ephemeral public key to the remote repository along with the encrypted set of credentials and the signature.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein generating, from the ephemeral private key, the ephemeral public key utilizes the elliptic curve cryptography scheme.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein generating the storage key utilizes an elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman scheme.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the set of credentials further includes a user identification (user ID).

17. A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a communication device, cause the communication device to:

obtain a password;

generate, from the password, a static private key;

generate, from the static private key and using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a static public key;

generate an ephemeral private key;

generate, from the ephemeral private key and the static public key, using an elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a storage key;

encrypt a set of credentials using the storage key, the set of credentials including at least a credential password to, thereby, create an encrypted set of credentials;

create a signature of the encrypted set of credentials by signing with the static private key using the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm; and

sending the encrypted set of credentials and the signature to a remote repository.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication device to generate, from the static private key, using the elliptic curve cryptography scheme, a static public key, wherein the static private key and the static public key are a static key pair.

19. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication device to generate an ephemeral public key from the ephemeral private key, wherein the ephemeral private key and the ephemeral public key are an ephemeral key pair.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication device to send the ephemeral public key to the remote repository along with the encrypted set of credentials and the signature.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication device to utilize the elliptic curve cryptography scheme to generate the ephemeral public key from the ephemeral private key.

22. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions further cause the communication device to utilize an elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman scheme to generate the storage key.

23. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the set of credentials further includes a user identification (user ID).

Assignments (11)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADDED PATENT NUMBER TO REMOVE PATENT NO. 8,873,407 AT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 64066 FRAME 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE DATE MARCH 20, 2023. Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 074921/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT 12817157 APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 064015 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064807/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET AT PAGE 50 TO REMOVE 12817157 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 063471 FRAME 0474. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064806/0669 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064066/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063471/0474 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 2, 2019
From: CERTICOM CORP.
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 050610/0937 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2015
From: CERTICOM (US) LIMITED
To: CERTICOM CORP.
Reel/Frame 035045/0765 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 27, 2015
From: CHIDAMBARAM, AVINASH
To: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 035045/0700 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 26, 2015
From: CAMPAGNA, MATTHEW JOHN
To: CERTICOM (U.S.) LIMITED
Reel/Frame 035041/0300 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 3, 2014
From: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 034143/0567 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 12902638 · Oct 12, 2010
Related Publication 20140304517A1 · Oct 9, 2014