Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8447970B2/en
Timestamp: 2018-04-19 10:05:39
Document Index: 128873476

Matched Legal Cases: ['arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108', 'arty 108']

US8447970B2 - Securing out-of-band messages - Google Patents
Securing out-of-band messages Download PDF
US8447970B2
US8447970B2 US12702632 US70263210A US8447970B2 US 8447970 B2 US8447970 B2 US 8447970B2 US 12702632 US12702632 US 12702632 US 70263210 A US70263210 A US 70263210A US 8447970 B2 US8447970 B2 US 8447970B2
US12702632
US20110197059A1 (en )
Aurelio Navarro Belletti Garcia
Ernesto Miranda Pedrosa da Silva
Rafael Alberto Marques Torres
Eduard Ostrovsky
Oliver Bruno Colbert
Edgar Pereira Alves
Securing an out-of-band message from a server to a mobile computing device. After requesting a service ticket from a trusted third party (e.g., via a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure), the requested service ticket and a shared secret are obtained from the trusted third party via a first channel. The mobile computing device thereafter sends the service ticket with the shared secret to a server via a second channel. The server encrypts a message (e.g., an SMS message) using the shared secret. The mobile computing device receives the encrypted message from the server via a third channel that is out-of-band relative to the first channel. The encrypted message is decrypted via the shared secret and the decrypted message is provided to a user of the mobile computing device. In some embodiments, the message includes commands for controlling the mobile computing device.
Short message service (SMS) is a communications protocol that allows an interchange of short text messages between mobile computing devices. SMS text messaging has become one of the most widely used tools of communications in many business and personal situations having billions of active users sending and receiving text messages on their mobile computing devices. However, due at least to the increasing availability of eavesdropping equipment for cellular communications, SMS messages are becoming more vulnerable to eavesdropping, spoofing, and other malicious attacks. As a result, securing SMS communication against eavesdropping, interception, and modification by other parties is of increasing concern to users.
Embodiments of the disclosure secure an out-of-band message sent from a server to a client. Upon a request from a client for a service ticket, a trusted third party provides the client with a shared secret including a service ticket. Thereafter, the client sends the service ticket with the shared secret to a server. The server encrypts a message with the shared secret and sends the encrypted message to the client. The client decrypts the encrypted message using the shared secret to obtain the message from the server.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram illustrating a trusted third party providing a service ticket and a shared secret to a mobile computing device.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a mobile computing device having a memory area storing components for verifying an authenticity of short message service (SMS) messages sent from a server.
FIG. 3 is an exemplary flow chart illustrating a process for securing an SMS message via a shared secret.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary sequence diagram illustrating a process for securing an SMS message sent from a server to a mobile computing device.
Referring to the figures and in particular to system 100 shown in FIG. 1, embodiments of the disclosure enable a trusted third party 108 to maintain control of a shared secret that is used by a server 106 and a client 102 to encrypt and decrypt messages (e.g., short message service (SMS) messages, multimedia messaging service (MMS) messages, or similar telecommunications messaging services) sent between the server 106 and the client 102 via an out-of-band channel. The encrypted message may be used to control a mobile computing device (e.g., mobile computing device 202). For example, the encrypted message may reboot, install/update software, lock the mobile computing device, unlock the mobile computing device, activate certain features associated with the mobile computing device, enable/disable features associated with the mobile computing device, and the like. The present disclosure enables the client 102 to send a request for a service ticket to a trusted third party 108 via a first channel. For example, the request for the service ticket occurs using a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure. Upon sending the request, the trusted third party 108 provides the client 102 with a service ticket including a shared secret associated with the requested service ticket. Thereafter, the client 102 sends the service ticket with the shared secret to the server 106 via a second channel. Utilizing the shared secret provided to the server 106 by the client 102, the server 106 encrypts and sends an SMS message to the client 102 via a third channel. The third channel is an out-of-band channel relative to the first channel and to the second channel. For example, the third channel represents a different communication mode or protocol. Utilizing the shared secret provided to the client 102 by the trusted third party 108, the client 102 decrypts the encrypted SMS message.
By using the shared secret, messages containing instructions for controlling the mobile computing devices are secured. For example, aspects of the disclosure prevent a malicious third party from sending instructions, commands or software elements to the mobile computing device (e.g. undesired parameter changes, personal information retrieving, virus code downloading to name a few).
Referring again to FIG. 1, the client 102 is connected to the server 106 and the trusted third party 108 via a network 104. Although system 100 has particular application to wireless networks, other channels of communication between the client 102, the server 106, and the trusted third party 108 are possible. As an example, the server 106 may communicate with the client 102 through local area networks, or direct communication such as land-based lines or wireless telephone connections. Thus, while FIG. 1 illustrates communication via the network 104, it is for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be a limitation on the present disclosure. In one embodiment, a wireless link between the client 102 and the network 104 may contain one or more different channels, such as one or more in-band channels (e.g., first and second channels) and one or more out-of-band channels (e.g., third channels). The system 100 may also include a short message service center that can provide SMS messages to and from the server 106 and the client 102. In some embodiments, the server 106 is a peer computing device and the client 102 (e.g., a mobile computing device) and the peer computing device are in a peer-to-peer relationship.
In some embodiments, the trusted third party 108 is part of a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure. In such an infrastructure, the trusted third party 108 stores, has access to, or generates one or more shared secrets that correspond to certain actions and/or information to be exchanged between the client 102 and the server 106. Further, the trusted third party 108 stores, has access to, or generates one or more service tickets that are to be sent to the client 102 upon a request from the client 102 for one of the service tickets. As will be described in further detail below, a service ticket with a shared secret is sent to the client 102 simultaneously upon a request from the client 102 for a service ticket, which is thereafter used to encrypt and decrypt messages sent from the server 106 via an out-of-band channel. Each of the client 102 and the server 106 form an agreement to use the trusted third party 108, and in turn, the trusted third party 108 provides for processing of the requests for the shared secret stored by, or accessible by, the trusted third party 108.
Referring next to FIG. 2, an exemplary block diagram illustrates a mobile computing device 202 (such as the client 102) having a memory area 204, at least one processor 208, and a display 206. The display 206 may be, for example, a display device separate from the mobile computing device 202, a display integrated into the mobile computing device 202 (e.g., such as in a mobile telephone), a capacitive touch screen display, or a non-capacitive display. User input functionality may also be provided in the display 206, where the display 206 acts as a user input selection device such as in a touch screen.
While embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated and described herein with reference to the mobile computing device 202, aspects of the disclosure are operable with any device that performs the functionality illustrated and described herein, or its equivalent. For example, embodiments of the disclosure are operable with netbooks, desktop computing devices, laptop computers, portable gaming consoles and other computing devices.
In some embodiments, the memory area 204 further stores one or more computer-executable components. Exemplary components include, but are not limited to an interface component 210, a memory component 212, and a decryption component 216. While the components are shown to be stored in the memory area 204, the components may be stored and executed from a memory area remote from the mobile computing device 202. For example, the components may be stored by a cloud service, and the output of the execution of the components may be provided to the mobile computing device 202. Such embodiments reduce the computational and storage burden on the mobile computing device 202.
The interface component 210, when executed by the processor 208, causes the processor 208 to communicate with the server 106 and the trusted third party 108. For example, the interface component 210 requests a service ticket from the trusted third party 108. In one embodiment, the interface component 210 includes one or more user interfaces for receiving user input from a user via a keyboard, touch display, mouse, or other user input selection devices. Thus, the interface component 210 may receive direct user input that indicates what information/requests are sent to the server 106. After the request has been made, or in some embodiments simultaneously with the request, the interface component 210 receives, from the trusted third party 108 over a first channel (e.g., a TCP channel), the requested service ticket with a shared secret that corresponds to the requested service ticket. The interface component 210 further sends the service ticket with the shared secret to the server 106 over a second channel (e.g., another TCP channel).
The memory component 212, when executed by the processor 208, causes the processor 208 to store the shared secret in the memory area 204. In some embodiments, the shared secret (and service ticket) expires after a pre-defined amount of time and another shared secret is obtained, for example, with each subsequent service ticket request. The memory component 212 further stores an encrypted short messaging service (SMS) message received from the server 106 via a third channel (e.g., SMS service). The third channel is out-of-band relative to the first channel and to the second channel. For example, the encrypted message may contain security updates or an update of a specific application on the client 102.
The decryption component 216, when executed by the processor 208, causes the processor 208 to decrypt the encrypted SMS message via the shared secret. As explained in detail below, the embodiments of the present disclosure utilize a symmetric encryption key for encrypting and decrypting the messages (e.g., SMS messages). The symmetric encryption key may be created by either the server 106 or the client 102 by using the shared secret.
In embodiments, the processor 208 is transformed into a special purpose microprocessor by executing computer-executable instructions or by otherwise being programmed. For example, the processor 208 is programmed with instructions such as illustrated next in FIG. 3.
Referring now to FIG. 3, an exemplary flow chart illustrates securing a message (e.g., an SMS message) from the server 106 to the client 102 (e.g., the mobile computing device 202) via an out-of-band channel. While described with reference to the mobile computing device 202 and the server 106, the operations illustrated in FIG. 3 are applicable to computing devices other than mobile computing devices and servers.
At 302, a service ticket is requested from the trusted third party 108 by the client 102 via a first channel (e.g., by the client 102 via a mobile computing device 202). For example, a user may log onto an application on the mobile computing device 202 or another computing device and request that a service ticket, which may or may not be encrypted, be sent to a service provider (e.g., the server 106). In some embodiments, the first channel is secured (e.g., secure sockets layer) and the mobile computing device 202 authenticates to the trusted third party 108 (e.g., provides a password).
In one embodiment, the request for the service ticket is made on an in-band channel (e.g., a first channel such as a TCP channel) to the trusted third party 108 that stores the requested service ticket. After requesting a service ticket, at 304, the mobile computing device 202 receives the requested service ticket with a shared secret that corresponds to the requested service ticket from the trusted third party 108. The service ticket with the shared secret is received via the first channel. In embodiments in which the mobile computing device 202 authenticates to the trusted third party 108 when requesting the service ticket, the service ticket may include an identifier of the mobile computing device 202 in the returned service ticket.
The mobile computing device 202 sends the obtained service ticket with the shared secret to the server 106. The service ticket may include therein an identifier of the mobile computing device 202. In some embodiments, the shared secret is automatically sent to the server 106 upon receipt by the mobile computing device 202 of the service ticket with the shared secret. In other embodiments, the mobile computing device 202 sends the service ticket with the shared secret to the server 106 at some time subsequent to the time of receipt of the service ticket by the mobile computing device 202. The mobile computing device 202 sends the obtained service ticket with the shared secret to the server 106 via a second channel (e.g., another TCP channel) at 305. In either example, the first channel and the second channel differ from a channel (e.g., a third channel) subsequently used to send messages from the server 106 to the mobile computing device 202.
At 306, an SMS message encrypted by the server 106 using the shared secret is sent from the server 106 to the mobile computing device 202. The encrypted messages may be solicited or unsolicited. The encrypted message is sent from the server 106 to the mobile computing device 202 via a channel that is considered out-of-band relative to the channel used to obtain the service ticket (e.g., out-of-band relative to the pre-existing ticketing infrastructure). For example, in embodiments in which the mobile computing device 202 sends the service ticket to the server 106 via the first channel (e.g., a TCP channel), the encrypted message is sent via a third channel (e.g., an SMS channel).
At 314, the encrypted message is decrypted by the mobile computing device 202 via the shared secret, and thereafter, at 316, the decrypted message is provided to a user of the mobile computing device 202. In some embodiments, the decrypted message is provided to a component (e.g., operating system, application program, etc.) on the mobile computing device 202 to initiate processing of the data within the decrypted message. For example, the data may include commands such as wipe, lock, unlock, install software, etc. for execution on the mobile computing device 202.
Communicating between the server 106 and the mobile computing device 202 via, for example, an SMS notification system presents a challenge in designing an SMS format since each sent SMS message directly affects operational costs. Accordingly, the SMS messages are encrypted and encoded to make efficient use of the 160-character limit in SMS messaging. As such, embodiments of the disclosure protect against attackers potentially reading the messages, altering the messages and resending the SMS messages.
The server 106 may encrypt the message via the shared secret in different ways. For example, the shared secret is used by the server 106 (or by an additional trusted party) to derive an encryption key for symmetric encryption algorithms, as both the mobile computing device 202 and the server 106 derive the encryption key from the shared secret. In some embodiments, the AES192 enhanced encryption algorithm can be used for encrypting. In this example, the encryption key is derived from a SHA256 hash of the shared secret prefixed with the word ENCRYPT using CryptDeriveKey from the advapi32.dll. The SMS message, for example, may use the HMACSHA256 hashing algorithm to compute a hash from the message components before encryption, which prevents attackers from altering the SMS message as the hash is verified before the operation proceeds. In this embodiment, the 128-bit key for the HMAC is derived from a SHA256 hash of the shared secret prefixed with the word HASH and derived using the RC4 encryption algorithm. The contents of the SMS message is Base64 encoded to convert it to a standard ASCII format for sending. In this embodiment, a plain text prefix is attached to the front of the SMS message so that an application of the mobile computing device 202 can differentiate between sent SMS messages.
A format of an exemplary encrypted SMS message is now explained with reference to Table 1 below. The following exemplary format of an encrypted SMS message avoids the use of separators between each message component as each separator occupies an entire character for itself. Each component is a fixed length of bytes which enables the client 102 (e.g., the mobile computing device 202) to safely assume which bytes represent which data. The structure of an encrypted SMS message is as follows, although other structures are contemplated:
SMS=[Prefix][EncodedData]
EncodedData=[SequenceNumber][EncryptedData]
EncryptedData=[Hash] [Version] [ActionCode] [RequestID] [TimeStamp] [Data]
Data=Defined by the type of action
Table 1 below describes each of the above elements.
Description of Elements of Exemplary SMS Message Structure.
Element Size Description
Prefix 4 Char The prefix is a plain text identifier for the messages
Hash 32 bytes The hash is a HMACSHA256 computed hash of all
the other elements (excluding the prefix) in their
unencrypted state. The order of the elements is assumed
[SequenceNumber][Version][ActionCode][Request
ID][TimeStamp][Data]
SequenceNumber 1 byte This is a number identifying which shared secret
the mobile device 202 decrypts with
Version 4 bits Specifies the version of the message payload.
Supports 16 version numbers
ActionCode 4 bits Enumerates which action to perform. Supports 16
RequestID 4 bytes This is a reference to the performing job in the
TimeStamp 4 bytes The time the message was sent in seconds since
1/1/1980 0:0:0. Used to avoid replay attacks.
Data Variable Defined by the action, such as, Ring, Locate, Lock,
Wipe, and the like
With reference now to FIG. 4, an exemplary implementation of the operations illustrated and provided herein is now described. At 402, the server 106 registers with the trusted third party 108 and a public key associated with the server 106 is provided to each of the server 106 and the trusted third party 108. At 404, the mobile computing device 202 requests a service ticket from the trusted third party 108 over a secure sockets layer (SSL). The mobile computing device 202 requests the service ticket using a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure, in some embodiments. At 406, the trusted third party 108 generates a symmetric key/shared secret. The trusted third party 108 adds the symmetric key/shared secret to the requested service ticket, encrypts the requested service ticket with the public key associated with the server 106, and attaches the symmetric key/shared secret to the requested service ticket. At 408, a reply that includes the requested service ticket and the symmetric key/shared secret attached to the requested service ticket is sent to the mobile computing device 202. At 410, the symmetric key/shared secret is stored in the mobile computing device 202. At 412, the requested service ticket is sent from the mobile computing device 202 to the server 106. At 414, the requested service ticket is verified and decrypted by the server 106 via a private key associated with the server 108 and corresponding to the public key. The server 108 then extracts the symmetric key/shared secret from the requested service ticket and stores the symmetric key/shared secret to, at 416, encrypt an SMS message with the symmetric key/shared secret. At 418, the encrypted SMS message is sent to the mobile computing device 202 from the server 106. At 420, to ensure that the server 106 sent the encrypted SMS message, the mobile computing device 202 verifies the encrypted SMS messaged by decrypting the encrypted SMS message with the symmetric key/shared secret.
A computer or computing device such as described herein has hardware including, for example, one or more processors or processing units, system memory, and some form of computer readable media. By way of example and not limitation, computer-readable media comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Exemplary computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, digital versatile disc (DVD), compact disc (CD), tape cassette, or floppy disk. Communication media typically embody computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and include any information delivery media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer readable media.
Embodiments of the disclosure may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed as software by one or more computers or other devices. The computer-executable instructions may be organized into one or more computer-executable components or modules. Generally, program modules include, but are not limited to, routines, programs, objects, components, and data structures that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Aspects of the disclosure may be implemented with any number and organization of such components or modules. For example, aspects of the disclosure are not limited to the specific computer-executable instructions or the specific components or modules illustrated in the figures and described herein. Other embodiments of the disclosure may include different computer-executable instructions or components having more or less functionality than illustrated and described herein. Aspects of the disclosure may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer storage media including memory storage devices.
The embodiments illustrated and described herein as well as embodiments not specifically described herein but within the scope of aspects of the disclosure constitute exemplary means for securing a message sent from the server to the mobile computing device via an out-of-band channel, and exemplary means for obtaining the shared secret via a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure.
1. A system for securing a message from a server to a mobile computing device, the system comprising:
a memory area for storing a shared secret; and
request a service ticket from a trusted third party via a first channel;
receive the service ticket and the shared secret from the trusted third party via the first channel;
store the shared secret in the memory area;
send the service ticket with the shared secret to the server via a second channel;
receive an encrypted message from the server via a third channel that is out-of-band relative to the first channel and to the second channel, wherein the message is encrypted by the shared secret;
decrypt, using the shared secret, the encrypted message, wherein the decrypted message include at least one command for execution on the mobile computing device; and
process the command on the mobile computing device.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to receive, from the server, the shared secret and the encrypted message.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is further programmed to request the service ticket from the trusted third party via a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to authenticate the mobile computing device to the trusted third party.
5. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for securing a message sent from the server to the mobile computing device via an out-of-band channel.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for obtaining the shared secret via a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the command includes one or more of the following operations: reboot the mobile computing device, install/update software on the mobile computing device, lock the mobile computing device, unlock the mobile computing device, activate a particular feature associated with the mobile computing device, enable/disable features associated with the mobile computing device.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein a format of the encrypted message comprises: [Prefix] [EncodedData].
requesting, by a mobile computing device, a service ticket from a trusted third party via a first transmission control protocol (TCP) channel;
obtaining the requested service ticket and a shared secret from the trusted third party via the first TCP channel;
sending, by the mobile computing device, the service ticket with the shared secret to a server via a second TCP channel, the service ticket including an identifier of the mobile computing device;
receiving, via a short message service (SMS) channel, an encrypted SMS message from the server, wherein the server encrypted the SMS message via the shared secret;
decrypting the encrypted SMS message via the shared secret; and
providing the decrypted SMS message to a user of the mobile computing device.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the encrypted SMS message is not larger than 160 characters.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising obtaining the shared secret and the encrypted SMS message from the server.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising authenticating the mobile computing device to the trusted third party.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein requesting the service ticket from the trusted third party via the first TCP channel comprises requesting the service ticket from the trusted third party via the first TCP channel in a pre-existing ticketing infrastructure.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein the server receives the shared secret from the trusted third party after a request for the service ticket is made, and wherein the server compares the shared secret received with the service ticket with the shared secret received from the trusted third party.
15. One or more computer storage devices storing computer-executable components, said components comprising:
an interface component that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to send a service ticket request to a trusted third party, to receive from the trusted third party the requested service ticket with a shared secret via a first channel, and to send the service ticket and the shared secret to a server via a second channel;
a memory component that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to store the shared secret and to store an encrypted short messaging service (SMS) message received from a server via a third channel that is out-of-band relative to the first channel and to the second channel; and
a decryption component that when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to decrypt the encrypted SMS message via the shared secret.
16. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein the first channel and the second channel are separate transmission control (TCP) channels.
17. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein the encrypted SMS message comprises confidential information regarding the service ticket.
18. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein the encrypted SMS message is not larger than 160 characters.
19. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein the server receives the shared secret from the trusted third party upon the request of the service ticket.
20. The computer storage device of claim 15, wherein the encrypted SMS message is encrypted by the server via the shared secret.
US12702632 2010-02-09 2010-02-09 Securing out-of-band messages Active 2031-10-19 US8447970B2 (en)
US12702632 US8447970B2 (en) 2010-02-09 2010-02-09 Securing out-of-band messages
CN 201110040559 CN102196375B (en) 2010-02-09 2011-02-09 Securing out-of-band messages
US20110197059A1 true US20110197059A1 (en) 2011-08-11
US8447970B2 true US8447970B2 (en) 2013-05-21
ID=44354596
US12702632 Active 2031-10-19 US8447970B2 (en) 2010-02-09 2010-02-09 Securing out-of-band messages
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