US 12,155,567 B1 · Utilizing network routing to communicate covert message

Abstract

A method of transmitting a covert message over a network from an origin device to a destination device includes using selection a plurality of network paths, network channels, and network tunnels to signal to the destination device symbols. Sequences of the symbols are interpreted by the destination device as values in an n-based number system. The values are decoded by the destination device to obtain the covert message. Some preferred implementations use a binary number system and some use a hexadecimal number system. Some utilize network path selection and incorporate network watermarks, by which the network path that was selected for each received packet is determined. Network paths preferably are differentiated from one another by redirects that are storage servers in an overlay network. Network communications can be opened between the origin device and destination device for continuously communicating packets without signaling symbols when no covert message is being transmitted.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of transmitting, over a plurality of different network channels, an encoded message from a first networked electronic device to a second networked electronic device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) encoding a message as a function of one or more network channels out of a plurality of network channels by which packets can be sent from a first networked electronic device for communication to a second networked electronic device;
and
(b) sending a sequence of packets from the first networked electronic device, each packet comprising a payload addressed for receipt by the second networked electronic device over said one or more network channels, a function of which the message is encoded;
(c) wherein both
(i) the sequence of the packets, and
(ii) said one or more network channels, a function of which the message is encoded,
signals to the second networked electronic device the encoded message.

4 more elements

A method for network communications of a covert message from a first networked electronic device to a second networked electronic device, comprising:

(a) signaling to the second networked electronic device, using packets of a packet stream, a sequence of symbols for encoded data of the covert message by,
(i) determining, at the first networked electronic device, based on a stored association, a respective redirect associated with a respective said symbol,
(ii) configuring, at the first networked electronic device, a respective packet of the packet stream for communication to the second networked electronic device via the determined respective redirect, the respective packet comprising a sequence identifier placing it in a relative position corresponding to a position of the respective said symbol in the sequence of symbols for the encoded data,
(iii) communicating, by the first networked electronic device, the respective packet of the packet stream for communication to the respective redirect,
(iv) receiving, at the respective redirect, the respective packet of the packet stream,
(v) determining, by the respective redirect based on information in the respective packet, that the second networked electronic device is the ultimate destination of the payload of the respective packet, and
(vi) communicating the payload of the respective packet onward to the second networked electronic device with the sequence identifier of the received respective packet and with respective path information of the payload;
and
(b) decoding the covert message from the first networked electronic device at the second networked electronic device by,
(i) for each respective received payload of a respective packet,
(A) determining, based on path information received with the respective received payload, the respective redirect through which the respective received payload was routed, and
(B) determining a respective symbol for the respective received payload based on the determined respective redirect through which the respective payload was routed,
(ii) ordering the determined respective symbols based on the sequence numbers received with their corresponding respective payloads in order to generate the encoded data, and
(iii) decoding the encoded data to generate the covert message from the first networked electronic device at the second networked electronic device.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Utilizing network routing to communicate covert message

Life of this patent

Utilizing network routing to communicate covert message

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20