TCP/IP-based communication system and associated methodology providing an enhanced transport layer protocol
AssigneeTTT Corporation
InventorsHirotsugu Ozaki, Keiko Ogawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A more secure TCP/IP protocol stack is provided having an enhanced transport layer. Encryption and decryption logic is arranged on the transmission side and on the reception side for processing a payload of a transport layer protocol, such as TCP or UDP. By employing this enhanced transport layer, a cryptograph process communication can be realized by dissolving various kinds of restrictions which a conventional IPsec or SSL possesses without affecting upper layer processing, and, at the same time, maintaining compatibility with the IP layer.
Claims24
A node for communicating packet data, comprising:
- a protocol encryption agent of a transport layer of a TCP/IP stack configured to encrypt at least a payload of a TCP/IP transport layer protocol packet defining an information payload for transmission from the node;
- a protocol decryption agent of a transport layer of a TCP/IP stack configured decrypt an encrypted TCP/IP transport layer packet information payload communicated to the node,
- wherein a communication exchange with a further node is carried out by encrypting and decrypting the packet information payload of the TCP/IP transport layer protocol.
A communication apparatus which carries out a communication by encrypting a protocol of a transport layer comprising:
- means for mounting an encryption and decryption instruction set to the communication apparatus;
- protocol encryption means for encrypting and transmitting at least a payload of said protocol in a packet as an information unit to be transmitted from the communication apparatus according to an encryption instruction set;
- and
- protocol decryption means for decrypting said encrypted protocol payload to be received at the communication apparatus according to a mounted decryption instruction set;
- and,
- standard protocol processing means for providing standard transport layer protocol processing without said encryption and decryption,
- wherein a selection of said encryption protocol processing means or said standard protocol processing means is invoked by the communication apparatus.
A communication apparatus which carries out a communication by encrypting a protocol positioned in a transport layer comprising:
- a node authentication unit configured to authenticate communications to the communication apparatus;
- an authentication information addition unit configured to transmit at least a payload of a protocol corresponding to TCP or UDP in a packet which is an information unit to be transmitted and received, by adding authentication information;
- a protocol authentication unit configured to authenticate a received protocol, including said added authentication information,
- wherein an encrypted communication is carried out by using a TCP or UDP protocol of TCP/IP.
A communication system, including a plurality of nodes for communicating packet data, comprising:
- at least two nodes having a protocol encryption and protocol decryption unit configured to interface a TCP/IP protocol stack to encrypt at least a payload of a protocol of a TCP/IP transport layer for transmission from the at least two nodes, and, a protocol decryption unit configured to interface a TCP/IP protocol stack to decrypt encrypted TCP/IP transfer layer protocol layer payloads communicated to the at least two nodes;
- a third node including a TCP/IP protocol stack;
- a first and/or second of the at least two nodes communicating with the third node through the TCP/IP protocol stack, wherein
- at least two nodes communicate with each other by invoking the encryption and decryption units to communicate through an encrypted transport layer protocol of the TCP/IP stack.
A method for communicating packet data, comprising:
- encrypting at least a payload of a protocol of a TCP/IP transport layer for transmission from a node;
- decrypting an encrypted TCP/IP transport layer protocol payload communicated to the node, wherein a communication is carried out by the TCP/IP transport layer protocol.
A node for communicating packet data, comprising:
- encryption agent means for interfacing to a TCP/IP stack and for encrypting at least a payload of a protocol of a TCP/IP transport layer in a packet as an information unit for transmission from a node;
- decryption agent means for interfacing to a TCP/IP stack and for decrypting an encrypted TCP/IP transport layer protocol payload communicated to the node, wherein a communication exchange is carried out by the TCP/IP transport layer protocol.
A computer readable carrier including computer program instructions that cause a computer to implement a method of communicating packet data, comprising:
- encrypting at least a payload of a protocol of a TCP/IP transport layer for transmission from a node;
- decrypting an encrypted TCP/IP transport layer protocol payload communicated to the node, wherein a communication is carried out by the TCP/IP transport layer protocol.
A removable hardware device configured to be interposed along a communications path of a communication device, comprising:
- a protocol encryption agent of a transport layer of a TCP/IP stack configured to encrypt at least a payload of a TCP/IP transport layer protocol packet defining an information payload for transmission from the node;
- a protocol decryption agent of a transport layer of a TCP/IP stack configured decrypt an encrypted TCP/IP transport layer packet information payload communicated to the node,
- wherein a communication exchange with a further node is carried out by encrypting and decrypting the packet information payload of the TCP/IP transport layer protocol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.