Patent Application
20190306129
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to secure communication and more particularly relates to secure communication in a nondeterministic network.
Nodes often communicate in nondeterministic networks.
An apparatus for secure communication in a nondeterministic network is disclosed. The apparatus includes a network connection, a processor, and a memory that stores code executable by the processor. The processor determines a first communication path to a first destination node in a network of nodes organized as an undirected graph and in communication with the network connection. The communication path is a spanning tree of path nodes of the undirected graph. The processor further encrypts a message to the first destination node with an encryption using a set of first encryption keys. In addition, the processor communicates the encrypted message over the path nodes of the first communication path. Each transaction of each path node with the encrypted message is recorded and the encrypted message is decrypted at the first destination node with a subset of the set of first encryption keys. The subset of the set of first encryption keys are held by key holding nodes in communication with the first destination node. A method and program product also perform the functions of the apparatus.
A more particular description of the embodiments briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only some embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the embodiments may be embodied as a system, method or program product. Accordingly, embodiments may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, embodiments may take the form of a program product embodied in one or more computer readable storage devices storing machine readable code, computer readable code, and/or program code, referred hereafter as code. The storage devices may be tangible, non-transitory, and/or non-transmission. The storage devices may not embody signals. In a certain embodiment, the storage devices only employ signals for accessing code.
Many of the functional units described in this specification have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented as a hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the like.
Modules may also be implemented in code and/or software for execution by various types of processors. An identified module of code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of executable code which may, for instance, be organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identified module need not be physically located together but may comprise disparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module.
Indeed, a module of code may be a single instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over several different code segments, among different programs, and across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustrated herein within modules and may be embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a single data set or may be distributed over different locations including over different computer readable storage devices. Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software, the software portions are stored on one or more computer readable storage devices.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable storage medium. The computer readable storage medium may be a storage device storing the code. The storage device may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the storage device would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Code for carrying out operations for embodiments may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages including an object oriented programming language such as Python, Ruby, Java, Smalltalk, C++, or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language, or the like, and/or machine languages such as assembly languages. The code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean “one or more but not all embodiments” unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “including,” “comprising,” “having,” and variations thereof mean “including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,” “an,” and “the” also refer to “one or more” unless expressly specified otherwise.
Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable manner. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user selections, network transactions, database queries, database structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment.
Aspects of the embodiments are described below with reference to schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and program products according to embodiments. It will be understood that each block of the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can be implemented by code. This code may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.
The code may also be stored in a storage device that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the storage device produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or blocks.
The code may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the code which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of apparatuses, systems, methods and program products according to various embodiments. In this regard, each block in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions of the code for implementing the specified logical function(s).
It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. Other steps and methods may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated Figures.
Although various arrow types and line types may be employed in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to limit the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical flow of the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and code.
The description of elements in each figure may refer to elements of proceeding figures. Like numbers refer to like elements in all figures, including alternate embodiments of like elements.
Communications between the nodes 105 are nondeterministic. For example, a first message communicated between two nodes could take a first communication path while a second message communicated between the same two nodes 105 could take a second communication path. A node 105 along the communication path may be referred to as a path node 105.
Unfortunately, the nondeterministic nature of the network 100 makes the nondeterministic network 100 vulnerable to tampering. For example, a malicious actor could compromise one of the nodes 105 and use the compromised node 105 to intercept and/or modify communications between the nodes 105, access the network 115, and otherwise perform unauthorized and/or malicious actions.
The embodiments described herein determines communications paths and communicates encrypted messages over the communication paths to secure the nondeterministic network 100. As a result, other nodes 105, the nondeterministic network 100, and the network 115 remain secure even if a first node 105 is compromised.
In addition, if the first destination node 105b2 is unable to receive the message that is communicated over the first communication path 120a, an alternate destination node 105b3 may receive the message for the first destination node 105b2.
In an alternate embodiment, the message is communicated to an end-of-knowledge node 105a4 as the first destination node. The end-of-knowledge node 105a4 may be a node 105 that the first node 105b1 has knowledge of and is believed to be in communication with a second and/or final destination node 105b2. The message may be communicated from the first node 105b1 to the first destination node 105a4 over one communication path 120 and from the first destination node 105a4 to the second destination node 105b2 over another communication path 120.
In one embodiment, the communication path data 220 includes one or more of an end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 and a final destination node identifier 225. The end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 may be included to send the message 200 to a final destination node 105 that is beyond the knowledge of sending node 105. For example, the sending node 105 may have no knowledge of communication paths 120 to the final destination node 105. As a result, the sending node 105 may identify an end-of-knowledge node 105 in the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 as well as identifying the final destination node 105 in the final destination node identifier 225. The message 200 may be communicated over a first communication path 120 identified by the node identifiers 221 to the end-of-knowledge node 105 identified by the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223. The end-of-knowledge node 105 may then determine a second communication path 120 to a second destination node 105. The second destination node 105 may be another end-of-knowledge node 105 that is specified in the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 with the final destination node 105 specified in the final destination node identifier 225. Alternatively, the second destination node 105 may be the final destination node 105 and may be specified with the final destination node identifier 225. The use of the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 and the final destination node identifier 225 allows the sending node 105 to communicate messages 200 to destination nodes 105 for which the sending node 105 has only an incomplete knowledge of the intervening nodes 105.
Each block 217 may record a plurality of message transactions 215. The message transactions 215 may be hashed. In one embodiment, the hashed message transactions 215 for each block 217 are compared. The block 217 may only recorded to the block chain record 210 if there is consensus for each instance of the block 217.
In one embodiment, a proof of work 211 is calculated for each block 217. The proof of work 211 may be calculated to have a cryptographic feature that is difficult to calculate but easy to verify. In one embodiment, the proof of work 231 incorporates previous blocks 213. The proof of work 231 may be used to validate the self-consistency of each block 217 of the block chain record 210.
In one embodiment, each path node 105 that transacts the encrypted message 300 decrypts a portion of the encryption 305 with the encryption key 231 of the path node 105. The encryption 305 of the message 200 may remain, but the subsequent encryption 305 does not include the encryption key 231 of the transacting path node 105.
In one alternate embodiment, each transaction 215 further encrypts the encrypted message 300 with the encryption key 231 of the node 105 performing the transaction 215.
The method 500 starts, and in one embodiment, the processor 405 determines 505 a communication path 120 to a destination node 105 in a network of nodes 105. The network of nodes 105 may be the nondeterministic network 100. In addition, the network of nodes 105 may be organized as an undirected graph, wherein edges 110 between the nodes 105 are bidirectional communication channels.
The destination node 105 may be the final destination node 105 specified by the final destination node identifier 225. Alternatively, the destination node 105 may be an end-of-knowledge node 105. The node identifier 221 for the end-of-knowledge node 105 may be recorded as the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223. The node identifier 221 of the final destination node 105 may be recorded as the final destination node identifier 225.
The communication path 120 may be a spanning tree of the path nodes 105 of the undirected graph. The spanning tree may be a subset of the nondeterministic network 100 wherein all the nodes 105 are covered with a minimum possible number of edges 110. As a result, the spanning tree does not have cyclical connections wherein two nodes 105 are connected by more than one communication path 120. Therefore, each path node 105 of the communication path 120 is known.
In one embodiment, the communication path 120 is recorded in a data structure such as the communication path data 220 and appended to the message 200 as shown in
The processor 405 may encrypt 510 the message 200 to a first destination node 105 with an encryption 305. The encryption 305 may use each encryption key 231 of the set 230 of encryption keys 231. The encryption keys 231 of the set 230 are known because each path node 105 of the communication path 120 is also known. The encryption 305 may only use the subset 233 of the set 230 of encryption keys 231 to decrypt. In a certain embodiment, the message 200 is encrypted 510 with a ledger encryption algorithm.
The processor 405 may further communicate 515 the encrypted message 300 over the path nodes 105 of the communication path 120. In one embodiment, each transaction 215 of each path node 105 with the message 200 and/or encrypted message 300 is recorded. Each transaction 215 may be recorded as a block chain record 210 as described in
In one embodiment, each transaction 215 of each path node 105 with the message 200 and/or encrypted message 300 is recorded as an onion skin record 310 as shown in
The processor 405 may decrypt 525 the encrypted message 300. In one embodiment, the encrypted message 300 is decrypted 525 at the destination node 105 with the subset 233 of the set 230 of encryption keys 231. The subset 233 of encryption keys 231 may be held by key holding nodes 105 in communication with the destination node 105. In one embodiment, the destination node 105 acquires the encryption keys 231 of the subset 233 from the key holding nodes 105. For example, the destination node 105 may request three encryption keys 231 from three key holding nodes 105. The key holding nodes 105 may share edges 110 with the destination node 105.
In a certain embodiment, each path node 105 that transacts the encrypted message 300 decrypts 525 the encrypted message 300 with one encryption key 231 of the subset 233 of encryption keys 231 and the destination node 105 decrypts 525 the encrypted message 300 with another encryption key 231 of the subset 233 of encryption keys 231. As a result, the encrypted message 300 must be transacted by each path node 105 of the communication path 120 to be decrypted 525.
The processor 405 may verify 530 each message transaction 215 along the communication path 120. The message transactions 215 along the communication path 120 may be verified 530 at the destination node 105. In one embodiment, the message transactions 215 of the onion skin 310 are inspected for tampering. In addition, the message transactions 215 of one or more blocks 217 may be inspected for tampering.
The processor 405 may determine 535 if the destination node 105 is a final destination node 105. The processor 405 may compare the node identifier 221 of the destination node 105 with the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223 and the final destination node identifier 225. If the node identifier 221 of the destination node 105 is the final destination node identifier 225, the destination node 105 is the final destination node 105 and the method 500 ends.
If the node identifier 221 of the destination node 105 is the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223, the processor 405 may determine 505 a second communication path 120 to a second destination node 105. The second destination node 105 may be the final destination node 105 specified by the final destination node identifier 225. Alternatively, the second destination node 105 may be an end-of-knowledge node 105. The node identifier 221 for the end-of-knowledge node 105 may be recorded as the end-of-knowledge node identifier 223.
The processor 405 may further encrypt 510 the message 200 to the second destination node 105 with an encryption 305 using a set 230 of second encryption keys 231. The encryption 305 may require a subset 233 of the set 230 of second encryption keys 231 to decrypt. The processor 405 may communicate 515 the encrypted message 300, record 520 each transaction 215 of each path node 105, decrypt 525 the encrypted message 300, verify 530 the transactions 215, and again determine 535 if the destination node 105 is the final destination node 105 as described above until the destination node 105 is the final destination node 105, and the method 500 ends. As a result, the message 200 may be communicated via a series of end-of-knowledge nodes 105 until the final destination node 105 is reached.
The embodiments determine a communication path 120 to a destination node 105 in a network of nodes 105 organized as an undirected graph, wherein the communication path 120 is a spanning tree of path nodes 105 of the undirected graph. As a result, each path node 105 of the communication path 120 is known. The embodiments further encrypt the message 200 to the destination node 105 with an encryption 305 requiring the subset 233 of the set 230 of encryption keys 231 to decrypt.
The embodiments further communicate the encrypted message 300 over the path nodes 105 of the communication path 120 with the encrypted message decrypted at the destination node 105 with the subset 233 of encryption keys 231. As a result, the message 200 is communicated securely within the nondeterministic network 100.
Embodiments may be practiced in other specific forms. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.
