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 system, comprising the steps of:
transmitting, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;
receiving, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and
transmitting a frame including data and a header indicating a security level for the frame, wherein the security level for the frame meets the group security level.
2. A method of claim 1 , wherein the information identifies a set of expected security levels, the method further comprising receiving a result of an ordering of the set.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a frame from another 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 information 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:
transmitting, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;
receiving, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and
transmitting a frame including 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 information identifies a set of expected security levels, the method further comprising receiving a result of an ordering of the set.
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 receiving a frame from another of the plurality of correspondents.
11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the information 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:
a transmitter configured to transmit, by a first of a plurality of correspondents and to a sender, information identifying a first expected security level, wherein the sender further receives a second expected security level from a second of the plurality of correspondents;
a receiver configured to receive, from the sender, group security level data, the group security level data indicating a group security level, the group security level equal to or higher than a larger value of the first and the second expected security levels; and
the transmitter further configured to transmit a frame including 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 information identifies a set of expected security levels, the receiver further configured to receive a result of an ordering of the set.
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 receiver further configured to receive a frame from another of the plurality of correspondents.
17. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the information 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.