Abstract:
A method for transmitting a key from a first device to a remotely located second device includes the steps of generating the key within the first device; selecting one of a plurality of one-time pad values from a one-time pad stored within the first device; creating a hash of at least the key and the selected one of the plurality of one-time pad values; and sending the hash and the key from the first device to the second device.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention relates to value metering systems which utilize public key cryptography for printing verifiable indications of value, and more particularly, to value metering systems which periodically generate new public key pairs and securely provide the newly generated public key to a data center located remotely from the value metering system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The United States Postal Service (USPS) is currently advocating the implementation of a new Information-Based Indicia Program (IBIP) in connection with the printing of postage indicium by postage metering systems. Under this new program, each postage indicium that is printed will include cryptographically secured information in a barcode format together with human readable information such as the postage amount and the date of submission to the post office. The cryptographically secured information is generated using public key cryptography and allows a verification authority, such as the post office, to verify the authenticity of the printed postage indicium based on the information printed in the indicium and the printed destination address. 
     In at least one scenario, use of the public key cryptographic system for postage metering systems requires the generation within each individual metering device of a key pair consisting of a private key “V” and a corresponding public key “U”. The private key V is used by the individual metering system to digitally sign the printed indicium and the digital signature is included as part of the bar coded portion of the indicium. Thus, when the verifying authority receives the indicium it verifies its authenticity in a known manner using the public key U which the verifying authority has previously received or which was sent to the verifying authority as part of the indicium. The receipt by the verifying authority of the public key is in the form of a certificate which includes, at a minimum, the public key U together with a digital signature of that public key using a private key of a trusted third party. 
     The USPS has recognized however, that the security of the public key system is based on the ability to prevent the compromise of the keys utilized. Accordingly, while the use of extremely large keys helps to ensure that the keys are not compromised by cryptoanalysis, the USPS has further proposed to increase security by requiring that the key pair used by each individual meter be changed on a periodic basis. Thus, each metering system will generate a new key pair to replace the existing key pair on a periodic basis. However, once a new public key U and private key V have been generated by the metering system, the new public key must be securely sent to a certificate authority so that a new public key certificate can be generated by the certificate authority and distributed back to the metering system or the verifying authority as appropriate. The USPS has proposed using the private key being replaced to sign the newly generated public key and sending the digitally signed newly generated public key to the certificate authority. The problem with this scenario is that if the private key being replaced has already been compromised, a fraudulent replacement public key can be sent to the certificate authority who will then issue a public key certificate based on the fraudulent public key. If this were to occur, postage Indicia could be printed with a standard computer without having any of the postage accounted for because the fraudulent Indicia will verify as being authentic at the verification facility. 
     Thus, what is needed is a method and apparatus which permits the secure transfer of newly generated public or private keys from a first device to a second device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a method of securely transmitting a key from one device to another. This object is met by providing a method for transmitting a key from a first device to a remotely located second device via the steps of generating the key within the first device; selecting one of a plurality of one-time pad values from a one-time pad stored within the first device; creating a hash of at least the key and the selected one of the plurality of one-time pad values; and sending the hash and the key from the first device to the second device. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the inventive postage metering system; 
     FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the generation of a postage indicium within the postage metering system of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the process for securely sending a public key from the postage metering system to a data center. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a postage metering system, shown generally at  202 , includes a personal computer  204  connected to a monitor  206 , a keyboard  208 , and a printer  210 . The personal computer  204  additionally includes a processing subsystem  212  having an associated memory  214 . The processing subsystem  212  is connected to a communications port  216  for communication with a secure postage meter accounting subsystem  218  and a modem  220  for communicating with a remote facility  222  which is not part of the postage metering system  202 . It should be recognized that many variations in the organization and structure of the personal computer  204  as well as the secure postage metering accounting subsystem  218  could be implemented. As an example, the communications from the modem  220  to the remote facility can be by way of hardwire, radio frequency, or other communications including the Internet. The postage metering accounting subsystem  218  may take many forms such as, for example, a secure vault type system, or a secure smart card system. 
     The postage metering accounting subsystem  218  includes a processor  224  coupled to a memory  226 . The processor  224  has associated with it an encryption engine  228 , a hash function processor  230 , a secure clock  232  and a communications port  234 . The memory  226  may have stored within it different data as well as the operating programs for the postage metering accounting subsystem  218 . The data shown as stored in memory  226  includes a private key  246  of a specified length (i.e. 512, 1024, to 4096 bits), a corresponding public key  247 , public key certificate data  248  (which could either be an actual public key certificate or a unique public key certificate identifier), an issued indicium piece count  249 , conventional postage accounting ascending/descending register circuitry  250  which accounts for the amount of postage dispensed, other data  251  which may be included as part of the printed indicium (such as an algorithm identifier, customer identifier, and software identifier), indicium image data and associated programming  252  used to build the postage indicium image, and a public key/one-time pad program  254  which is used to securely send newly generated public keys from the postage metering accounting subsystem  218  to the remote facility  222 . The accounting circuitry  250  can be conventional accounting circuitry which has the added benefit of being capable of being recharged with additional prepaid postage funds via communication with a remote data center. 
     Memory  226  further includes a one-time pad  256  of randomly generated one-time pad values  257  each having a respective pad entry value N associated therewith of which only pad entry values  1  through  4  are shown. Naturally the number of one-time pad values in the one-time pad  256  can be made as large as necessary to ensure a sufficient number of one-time pad values exist for the expected lifetime number of newly generated public keys by the postage metering accounting subsystem  218 . The details and use of the one-time pad  256  are discussed in more detail further below. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the operation of the postage metering system  202  will be explained in connection with generating and printing a postage indicium. At step S 1 , a user generates a mailpiece utilizing an application program stored in memory  214 . Upon completion of the mailpiece the user can elect to have postage applied thereto by clicking on an icon appearing on monitor  206  or alternatively pressing a special function key of keyboard  208  (step S 3 ). In either case, once the postage application option has been elected, the personal computer  204  sends such request together with the requested postage amount to the postage metering accounting subsystem  218  via the communication ports  216  and  234  (step S 5 ). At step S 7 , the hash function processor  230  generates a message digest of selected data to be included as part of the indicium. The postage metering accounting subsystem  218  then checks the corresponding certificate data  252  to determine if it has expired (beyond validity date) (step S 9 ). If the answer at step S 9  is “YES”, the request is rejected and the user notified of such rejection via the monitor  206  at step S 11 . If the answer at step S 9  is “NO”, the postage metering subsystem  218  determines if sufficient funds are available in the accounting circuitry  250  to pay for the requested postage (step S 13 ). If the answer at step S 13  is “NO” the request is rejected and the user is notified of such rejection via the monitor  206  (step S 11 ). On the other hand, if the answer at step S 13  is “YES” the amount of the postage to be dispensed is deducted within the accounting circuitry  250  (step S 17 ). At step S 19  the message digest is then encrypted utilizing the private key  246  and the encryption engine  228  (which contains the encryption algorithm). The indicium image is then generated using the indicium image data and program  252  and the indicium image including the encrypted message digest and the certificate data  252  are sent via the computer  204  to the printer  210  for printing on a mailpiece such as an envelope(step S 21 ). The above description relative to the generation of the digitally signed postage indicium and operation of the postage metering system is known such that a further detailed discussion is not considered warranted. 
     As previously discussed, the private key  246  and the public key  247  must be changed on a periodic basis for security reasons. A new pair of keys is generated by the key pair generator  260  in a known manner upon the occurrence of a predetermined event such as after a fixed period of time or after a predetermined amount of postage has been dispensed or after a predetermined number of indicium have been printed. The process for generating the new key pair is shown in FIG.  3 . At step S 30 , the remote facility  222  (i.e. a postal service data center) recognizes for a particular postage metering system  202  that the predetermined event has occurred and a semaphore is set at the data center  222  signifying such is the case. When the postage metering system  202  next establishes contact with the data center  222  through the modem  220  (step S 32 ), such as for a postage funds refill or for a mandatory remote inspection, the set semaphore causes the data center  222  to request that the postage metering system  202  generate a new pair of keys (step S 34 ). Moreover, along with the request, the data center  222  identifies the pad entry value N of the one-time pad  256  that the postage metering system  202  should use in returning the newly generated public key  247  to the data center  222 . Upon receipt of the request for postage from the data center  222  the postage metering accounting subsystem  218  generates via the key pair generator  260  a new private key V and a new public key U at step S 36 . At step S 37  the new public and private keys are respectively stored in memory locations  247  and  246 . Moreover, the keys being replaced can also be stored for historical purposes or for continued use in the event that the below described communication with the data center  222  is not successfully completed. At step S 38 , the public key/one-time pad program  254  is used to look up the one-time pad value associated with the received pad entry value N in the one-time pad matrix  256 . The one-time pad value  257  which is a randomly generated sequence of bits is then used by the hash function processor (or alternatively a different hash function processor) to create a hash (message digest) of the newly generated public key, the pad entry value N, the identified one-time pad value and any other additional data desired (step S 40 ). For additional security, at step S 42  the hash is encrypted with the replaced private key utilizing the encryption engine  228  (step S 42 ). The postage metering system  202  then transmits the new public key, the additional data, and the encrypted hash to the data center  222  via the modem  220  (step S 43 ). 
     The data center  222  also has the one-time pad  256 , the hash function processor  230  and the to be replaced public key stored within its infrastructure of computerized data processing equipment. Thus, upon receipt of the new public key, the additional data, and the encrypted hash, the data center  222  verifies the authenticity of the received newly generated public key by using the replaced public key to decrypt the encrypted hash (step S 44 ) and then creating its own hash based on the new public key, the additional data, and the pad entry value N and the one-time pad value associated therewith which is ascertained by looking it up in the one-time pad  256  stored at the data center  222  (step S 45 ). The data center  222  compares its generated hash value to the received hash value (step S 48 ) and, if they do not match, the data center  222  marks the one-time pad value as used and generates an error message to the postage metering system  202  stating that the newly received public key will be ignored (step S 50 ). The postage metering system  202  user can then either attempt to repeat the process of generating a new key set or request assistance from the postal service. If however at step S 48  the hash values match, the program proceeds to step S 52  where the data center  222  sends an acknowledgement of receipt and acceptance of the newly generated public key. The acknowledgement can be in the form of a newly generated public key certificate signed with the private key of the data center  222 . Upon receipt of the acknowledgement from the data center  222 , the postage metering system  202  sends a reply that is received by the data center  222  and which confirms that the acknowledgement has been received at the postage metering system (step S 54 ) thereby completing the successful transfer of the newly generated public key. At step S 55  the data center  222  marks the one-time pad value as being used. Alternatively, the one-time pad value can be marked as being used prior to step S 52 . 
     One possessing ordinary skill in the art will recognize the increased security provided by the inventive system described above because of the fact that for each transfer of the public key to the data center  222  a randomly selected one-time pad value is used only once. Moreover, for further security if the result of the hash function is smaller than the one-time pad length, the result is that many different one-time pad values would result in the same hash. For example, if the resulting hash is 56 bits and the one-time pad value is 80 bits, on the average there are 2 24  one-time pad values that give the same hash thereby making it very difficult to ascertain the actual one-time pad value used. In addition, for even further security, once the data center  222  has contacted and requested that a new key pair be generated (step S 34 ) it can calculate the amount of time it takes for the postage metering device  202  to respond with the newly generated public key information. If a response is not received by the data center  222  within a predetermined period of time, the data center  222  marks the one-time pad value  257  as being used and generates an error message to the postage metering system  202  (step S 50  ). The predetermined time period will depend on the size of the one-time pad values used and the amount of time required to complete steps S 34  to S 44 . For example, if the one-time pad values  257  are 64 bits the predetermined time limit might be as short as 2 minutes. One skilled in the art will be capable of calculating the predetermined time periods taking into account the size of the one-time pad values, the required programming, and the speed of the processor  224 . It is important to note that the time out feature just discussed is significant because it makes impractical the interception of the signed hash signal and the use of exhaustive searching techniques to determine the one-time pad value currently being used. 
     Additional embodiments can incorporate such features as locking out the postage metering system  202  once all of the one-time pad values  257  have been used, and using a special communication key instead of the old private key to encrypt the hash. Moreover, the postage metering subsystem  202  could initiate the new key generation process upon the occurrence of the predetermined event either at the next communication with the data center  222  or automatically if the modem  220  has an automatic dialing capability to the remote data center  222  and it is intended that the modem  220  be continuously connected to a phone line. Finally, while the above description is in connection with a postage metering system, it is applicable to any remote device where the periodic generation of new key pairs is required. For example, it could be used by a certificate authority for downloading public keys to a provider which provider generates public key pairs for use in specific remote devices. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative devices, shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims. For example, while the hash is shown as being sent to the remote facility  222  via a modem, it can be delivered in any medium such as within a smart card, on a floppy diskette, or on a CD-ROM. Moreover, the process can also be applied to a secret key system where it is desirable to securely communicate a common secret (private key) between parties. In this scenario a secret key encryption standard such as DES is used to encrypt the newly generated private (secret key) utilizing the one-time pad value as the key input to the DES algorithm. The verification facility which has the same DES engine and the one-time pad values can then decrypt the encrypted secret key to remain in synchronization with the originating location of the newly generated private key.