Encrypted communication system, encrypted communication method, encrypting device, and decrypting device

An encrypted communication system, comprising an encrypting means for creating an encrypted document from a plain document and a decrypting means for decrypting the encrypted document to obtain the plain document, wherein

• the encrypting comprises:
• an encrypting role information storage device for storing encrypting role information that is configured with a plurality of encrypting keys corresponding to levels of authorized powers of viewers as well as key IDs for identifying the encrypting keys;
• an encrypting process device which grasps an encrypting range designated from the plain document, and encrypts the encrypting range with a key selected among the plurality of encrypting keys configuring the encrypting role information;
• an encrypting information creating device for creating encrypting information that includes:
• a front position and a rear position in the plain document to which the encryption processing is executed, and the key ID corresponding to the encrypting key that is applied for the encrypting range;
• and
• an encrypted document creating device for creating the encrypted document by combining the encrypting information with the document that has been encrypted, and
• the decrypting comprises:
• a decrypting role information storage device for storing decrypting role information that is configured with an encrypting key corresponding to a viewer and a key ID corresponding to the encrypting key;
• a separating device for separating and extracting the encrypting information and an encrypted document main body from the encrypted document;
• an encrypting key loading device for loading, from the decrypting role information storage device, the encrypting key corresponding to the key ID of the encrypting information extracted by the separating device;
• and
• a decrypting processing device for decrypting the range between the front end position and the rear end position in the encrypted document main body by using the encrypting key that corresponds to the range,
• the encrypting and decrypting comprise:
• wherein a role information obtaining device obtains the role information from a role information managing server at prescribed intervals, and updates the role information to be the latest so that the encrypting keys can remain valid within an effective period;
• and
• wherein the effective periods for the encrypted keys are set in the encrypting role information and the decrypting role information by using the effective start dates and the effective end dates enabling encryption and decryption to be executed only within the effective periods but not outside the effective periods.

A decrypting device used for an encrypted communication system for creating an encrypted document from a plain document and extracting the plain document by decrypting the encrypted document, wherein

• the encrypted document is created by an encrypting device that comprises:
• an encrypting role information storage device for storing encrypting role information that is configured with a plurality of encrypting keys corresponding to levels of authorized powers of viewers as well as key IDs for identifying the encrypting keys;
• an encrypting process device which grasps an encrypting range designated from the plain document, and encrypts the encrypting range with a key selected among the plurality of encrypting keys configuring the encrypting role information;
• an encrypting information creating device for creating encrypting information that includes:
• a front position and a rear position in the plain document to which the encryption processing is executed, and the key ID corresponding to the encrypting key that is applied for the encrypting range;
• and
• an encrypted document creating device for creating the encrypted document by combining the encrypting information with the document that has been encrypted, and
• the decrypting device comprises:
• a decrypting role information storage device for storing decrypting role information that is configured with an encrypting key corresponding to a viewer and a key ID corresponding to the encrypting key;
• a separating device for separating and extracting the encrypting information and an encrypted document main body from the encrypted document;
• an encrypting key loading device for loading, from the decrypting role information storage device, the encrypting key corresponding to the key ID of the encrypting information extracted by the separating device;
• and
• a decrypting processing device for decrypting the range between the front end position and the rear end position in the encrypted document main body by using the encrypting key that corresponds to the range,
• the encrypting and decrypting devices comprise:
• wherein a role information obtaining device obtains the role information from a role information managing server at prescribed intervals, and updates the role information to be the latest so that the encrypting keys can remain valid within an effective period;
• and
• wherein the effective periods for the encrypted keys are set in the encrypting role information and the decrypting role information b using the effective start dates and the effective end dates enabling encryption and decryption to be executed only within the effective periods but not outside the effective periods.

A decrypting means used for an encrypted communication system for creating an encrypted document from a plain document and extracting the plain document by decrypting the encrypted document, wherein

• the encrypted document is created by an encrypting that comprises:
• an encrypting role information storage device for storing encrypting role information that is configured with a plurality of encrypting keys corresponding to levels of authorized powers of viewers as well as key IDs for identifying the encrypting keys;
• an encrypting process device which grasps an encrypting range designated from the plain document, and encrypts the encrypting range with a key selected among the plurality of encrypting keys configuring the encrypting role information;
• an encrypting information creating device for creating encrypting information that includes:
• a front position and a rear position in the plain document to which the encryption processing is executed, and the key ID corresponding to the encrypting key that is applied for the encrypting range;
• and
• an encrypted document creating device for creating the encrypted document by combining the encrypting information with the document that has been encrypted, and
• the decrypting comprises:
• a decrypting role information storage device for storing decrypting role information that is configured with an encrypting key corresponding to a viewer and a key ID corresponding to the encrypting key;
• a separating device for separating and extracting the encrypting information and an encrypted document main body from the encrypted document;
• an encrypting key loading device for loading, from the decrypting role information storage device, the encrypting key corresponding to the key ID of the encrypting information extracted by the separating device;
• and
• a decrypting processing device for decrypting the range between the front end position and the rear end position in the encrypted document main body by using the encrypting key that corresponds to the range,
• the encrypting and decrypting comprise:
• wherein a role information obtaining device obtains the role information from a role information managing server at prescribed intervals, and updates the role information to be the latest so that the encrypting keys can remain valid within an effective period;
• and
• wherein the effective periods for the encrypted keys are set in the encrypting role information and the decrypting role information by using the effective start dates and the effective end dates enabling encryption and decryption to be executed only within the effective periods but not outside the effective periods.

An encrypted communication method which creates an encrypted document from a plain document by an encrypting device and obtains the plain document by decrypting the encrypted document by a decrypting device, comprising:

• at the encrypting device,
• storing encrypting role information that is configured with a plurality of encrypting keys corresponding to levels of authorized powers of viewers as well as key IDs for identifying the encrypting keys, by an encrypting role information storage device of the encrypting device;
• grasping an encrypting range designated from the plain document, and encrypting the encrypting range with a key selected among the plurality of encrypting keys configuring the encrypting role information, by an encrypting process device of the encrypting device;
• creating encrypting information that includes:
• a front position and a rear position in the plain document to which the encryption processing is executed, and the key ID corresponding to the encrypting key that is applied for the encrypting range, by an encrypting information creating device of the encrypting device;
• and
• creating the encrypted document by combining the encrypting information with the document that has been encrypted, by an encrypted document creating device of the encrypting device, and
• at the decrypting device,
• storing decrypting role information that is configured with an encrypting key corresponding to a viewer and a key ID corresponding to the encrypting key, by a decrypting role information storage device of the decrypting device;
• separating and extracting the encrypting information and an encrypted document main body from the encrypted document, by a separating device of the decrypting device;
• loading, from the decrypting role information storage device, the encrypting key corresponding to the key ID of the encrypting information extracted by the separating device, by an encrypting key loading device of the decrypting device;
• and
• decrypting the range between the front end position and the rear end position in the encrypted document main body by using the encrypting key that corresponds to the range, by a decrypting processing device of the decrypting device,
• the encrypting and decrypting devices comprise:
• wherein a role information obtaining device obtains the role information from a role information managing server at prescribed intervals, and updates the role information to be the latest so that the encrypting keys can remain valid within an effective period;
• and
• wherein the effective periods for the encrypted keys are set in the encrypting role information and the decrypting role information b using the effective start dates and the effective end dates enabling encryption and decryption to be executed only within the effective periods but not outside the effective periods.