Netscape Communications Corporation

Other

Jeff Weinstein

Taher Elgamal

Robert J Relyea

Nelson Bruce Bolyard

Tom Weinstein

Method, apparatus, system, and a file for integrated dynamic encryption and/or decryption for use in an application includes, for example, storage means or unit for storing a plurality of predetermined attributes and corresponding values, and a digital signature, a controller or control means for controlling selective retrieval of a plurality of attributes and values, and the digital signature from the storage unit, processing means or processor for selectively processing the predetermined attributes and values, and the digital signature and in accordance thereto, providing a supportable encryption and/or decryption level to the application, a compressor or compression means for compressing the attributes and values and in accordance thereto generating compressed attributes and values for storing in the storage unit, and decompressing means or decompressor for decompressing the compressed attributes and values in accordance with the controller retrieving the compressed attributes and values.

Cryptographic policy filters and policy control method and apparatus

An apparatus for an integrated dynamic encryption and/or decryption for use in an application includes a policy filter, a policy filter module coupled to said policy filter, a service module coupled to said policy filter, and a cryptographic module, where the apparatus retrieves the cryptographic module and configures the policy filter in accordance with the cryptographic module and the policy filter module performs a plurality of verification upon the cryptographic module, and further where the service module is configured to generate a plurality of cipher suites and the policy filter is configured to filter the plurality of cipher suites in accordance with a predetermined policy filter parameters to generate a plurality of filtered cipher suites. Moreover, an apparatus for an integrated dynamic encryption and/or decryption for use in an application includes storage means for storing a plurality of predetermined attributes and corresponding values, and a digital signature, a controller for controlling selective retrieval of said plurality of attributes and values, and said digital signature from said storage means, processing means for selectively processing said plurality of predetermined attributes and values, and said digital signature and in accordance thereto, providing a supportable encryption and/or decryption level to said application, compression means for compressing said plurality of attributes and values and in accordance thereto generating a compressed plurality of attributes and values for storing in said storage means, and decompressing means for decompressing said compressed plurality of attributes and values in accordance to said controller retrieving said compressed plurality of attributes and values.

An apparatus for integrated dynamic encryption and/or decryption for use in an application includes a policy filter, a policy filter module coupled to the policy filter, a service module coupled to the policy filter, and a cryptographic module, where the method and apparatus retrieve the cryptographic module and configure the policy filter in accordance with the cryptographic module. The policy filter module performs a plurality of verification upon the cryptographic module. The service module is configured to generate a plurality of cipher suites and the policy filter is configured to filter the plurality of cipher suites in accordance with predetermined policy filter parameters to generate a plurality of filtered cipher suites.

A process is provided that allows an exportable SSL client to negotiate an encrypted session using strong encryption with a server if the server is allowed to use strong encryption. With this process, the SSL client is normally limited to export strength encryption. But, when it is communicating with an approved server, it is able to expand the available set of encryption algorithms to include stronger algorithms/key lengths. The process involves performing an SSL handshake twice. The process begins when a client, i.e. a user, wants to establish a session with a server. The client first initiates a network connection to the server. The first handshake between an export client and an approved server results in an SSL session that uses export strength encryption. This establishes a connection using an exportable cipher suite. The client examines the server's certificate obtained as part of the first handshake. If the server is not approved, the SSL session transfers application data that are protected by the export cipher. If the server is approved, then the client initiates a second handshake, this time allowing stronger cipher suites. The result of the second handshake is an SSL session that uses strong encryption. The SSL session may then be used to transfer application data that are protected by the strong cipher suite. At this point, the process is complete.

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Jeff Weinstein