Systems and methods for IP level decryption

A system for delivering decrypted IP packets, the system comprising:

• a TCP/IP stack configured to receive requests for IP packets and to transmit IP packets;
• a packet receiver, in communication with the TCP/IP stack, configured to receive IP packets and to transmit IP packets;
• an IPsec key manager, in communication with the TCP/IP stack and the packet receiver, configured to cause decryption information to be extracted from a first IP address/port pair;
• and
• an IPsec stack, in communication with the TCP/IP stack and the IPsec key manager, configured to decrypt encrypted IP packets from a second IP address/port pair based upon the decryption information.

A system for decrypting an IP packet stream, the system comprising:

• a first IP address/port pair;
• a second IP address/port pair associated with the first IP address/port pair;
• a means for extracting decryption information from data received at the second IP address/port pair, the decryption information being independent of the application;
• and
• a means for decrypting at least a portion of data received at the first IP address/port pair based upon the extracted decryption information.

A system for managing delivery of decryption information, the system comprising an IPsec key manager, the IPsec key manager configured:

• to receive a request representative of a need to decrypt IP packets associated with a first IP address/port pair;
• to request IP packets associated with a different IP address/port pair;
• to obtain extracted decryption information from the IP packets associated with the different IP address/port pair;
• and
• to transmit the extracted decryption information for use in decrypting IP packets associated with the first IP address/port pair.

A method for receiving encrypted IP data, comprising the steps of:

• receiving from an application a request for IP packets at a given IP address/port pair;
• obtaining from a different IP address/port pair information for decrypting IP packets at the given IP address/port pair;
• decrypting a stream of IP packets received at the given IP address/port pair;
• and
• providing the decrypted stream of IP packets to the application.