Patent ID: 7353380
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of transmitting data securely over a computer network, comprising the steps of: (1) establishing a communication path between a first computer and a second computer; (2) encrypting and transmitting data records between the first computer and the second computer using an unreliable communication protocol, wherein each data record incorporates a nonce and encrypted text that has been encrypted using the nonce and a shared encryption key and without reference to a previously transmitted data record; and (3) in the second computer, receiving and decrypting the data records transmitted in step (2) by, for each of the received data records, decrypting the incorporated encrypted text using the incorporated nonce in combination with the shared encryption key and without reference to a previously received data record, wherein step (2) comprises the step of embedding an indicator in each of the data records indicating that the data records are encrypted according to an encryption scheme that encrypts records without regard to any previously transmitted data records, and wherein step (3) comprises the step of determining whether the indicator is present in each record and, in response to determining that the indicator is not present, processing each such record differently than if the indicator is set.