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Cryptography system and method for providing cryptographic services for a computer application

a cryptography and computer application technology, applied in the field of cryptography systems, can solve the problem that certain confidential private keys cannot be allowed to leave the csps, and achieve the effect of ensuring the maximum protection of sensitive cryptographic keys, rapid conformation, and easy modification or replacemen

Inactive Publication Date: 2003-04-08
MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

This invention provides a cryptographic system and method that protect a user's keys and prevents undesired access and use of crytographic functions without authorization from the user. The cryptographic system is a unique tri-layer architecture. It includes a cryptographic application program interface (CAPI) which provides functionality to an application, one or more cryptographic service providers (CSPs) which implement the functionality presented by the CAPI to the application, and one or more private application program interfaces (PAPI) which allow the CSPs to communicate directly with a user.
To promote security, the application is restricted from direct access to the cryptographic keys maintained in the CSPs, but is permitted to manipulate the keys through the use of handles assigned by the CSPs. Cryptographic keys used in the encryption and decryption are not exported from the CSPs in their raw form, but only in an encrypted form. Moreover, certain confidential private keys are not permitted to leave the CSPs under any circumstances. In this manner, the CSPs protect the keys from compromise, while simultaneously offering a full range of cryptographic functionality that the user / application requests.
This system architecture can be advantageously adapted to many different environments. By implementing the cryptographic services as independent and separate CSPs that are only accessible through a CAPI layer, the architecture affords maximum protection of sensitive cryptographic keys. Additionally, by implementing the CSPs as DLLs, the cryptographic functions themselves and the associated security levels can be easily modified or replaced without affecting the higher level application. This is useful for rapid conformation to acceptable and changing regulatory and legal practices imposed by various governments. Finally, by providing the PAPI layer, the architecture protects the user from malicious applications that attempt to expose key information or gain unauthorized signatures of the user.

Problems solved by technology

Moreover, certain confidential private keys are not permitted to leave the CSPs under any circumstances.

Method used

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  • Cryptography system and method for providing cryptographic services for a computer application
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  • Cryptography system and method for providing cryptographic services for a computer application

Examples

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example implementations

The above discussion presents a general structure of an electronic commerce system. The following two cases provide example implementations of the electronic commerce system in specific commerce environments. The first example implementation is a credit card system and will be described with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. The second example implementation is an interactive television system and will be described with reference to FIG. 23. In addition to these specific examples, the electronic commerce system can be implemented in a wide variety of commercial environments, including on-line services and debit or other banking card transactions.

example 1

rd System

FIGS. 17 and 18 diagrammatically illustrate an electronic credit card system 300 according to two different operation phases: a registration phase (FIG. 17) and an order and purchase processing phase (FIG. 18). The electronic credit card system 300 has several participants, including a purchaser 302, a merchant 304, an acquiring bank or acquirer 306, an issuing bank 308, and a trusted authority or binder 310. The financial roles of each participant in the commerce transaction are well-known and will not be described herein.

Each participant is equipped with a computing unit, including a PC 312 at the purchaser and servers 314, 316, and 318 at the merchant, acquirer, and binder, respectively. Each computing unit is loaded with a credit card application and a cryptography system to support the credit card application with respect to its cryptographic needs.

During the registration phase of FIG. 17, each participant requests and receives credentials from the binder 310. "Binding...

example 2

ve Entertainment System

FIG. 23 diagrammatically illustrates an interactive television (ITV) system 400 that implements the electronic commerce system according to another aspect of this invention. The participants include a subscriber 402, a merchant 404, an acquire 406 and a cable operator 408. The subscriber 402 is equipped with a computing unit in the form of a set-top box (STB) 412. The merchant and acquirer each have a server 414 and 416, respectively, and the cable operator 408 is equipped with a headend server 418. Each computing unit is loaded with an ITV commerce application and a cryptography system to satisfy the security, privacy, integrity, and authenticity aspects of the ITV system. In this implementation, the ITV commerce application can be downloaded from the headend server to the STBs as requested, rather than remaining resident at the STB. The cryptography system, however, would reside and be executable at the STB.

The subscriber STB 412 and merchant server 414 are ...

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Abstract

A cryptography system architecture provides cryptographic functionality to support an application requiring encryption. decryption, signing, and verification of electronic messages. The cryptography system has a cryptographic application program interface (CAPI) which interfaces with the application to receive requests for cryptographic functions. The cryptographic system further includes at least one cryptography service provider (CSP) that is independent from, but dynamically accessible by, the CAPI. The CSP provides the cryptographic functionality and manages the secret cryptographic keys. In particular, the CSP prevents exposure of the encryption keys in a non-encrypted form to the CAPI or application. The cryptographic system also has a private application program interface (PAPI) to provide direct access between the CSP and the user. The PAPI enables the user to confirm or reject certain requested cryptographic functions, such as digitally signing the messages or exportation of keys.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates to cryptography systems. More particularly, this invention relates to a computer implemented architecture for performing cryptographic primitives including encrypting, decrypting, signing and verifying / authenticating functions.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONCryptography is the an and science of keeping messages secure from eavesdroppers and adversaries. Historically, valuable messages were kept secure by personal envoys who hand carried sensitive information from a sending party to a receiving party. While useful in its time, this protection method is not very practical in a modem world where information flows freely and changes rapidly.In more recent history, with the advent of computers, wireless communication, and other technological advances, information can be exchanged very quickly among many different individuals who were often spread all over the world. To provide a secure interchange of information in the electronic arena, one traditional ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F21/00G06F1/00
CPCG06F21/602G06F2221/2131
Inventor SPIES, TERRENCE R.SPELMAN, JEFFREY F.SIMON, DANIEL R.
Owner MICROSOFT TECH LICENSING LLC
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