Confidential message exchange using benign, context-aware cover message generation

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed permitting a sender to send a secret and secure message to a recipient. An application on a sender device interfaces with known message generating tools to permit a user to generate a message. The local application encrypts the message (and optional attachments) based on public/private key pairing negotiated with the server given the recipient device id. The sender device transmits the cipher text to the server. The server generates a benign, text-based, context-appropriate message and delivers same to a recipient device by way of a known messaging service. The benign message provides a secret clue to the recipient that an encrypted message is available. Recipient may then access and decrypt the encrypted message, such as from the server in response to a successful challenge (e.g., password request).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system providing secret and secure electronic messaging delivery, comprising:
 a message device comprising a recipient address key table and a recipient address context data table;   a sending device communicatively coupled to said message device, said sending device comprising:
 a message application configured to:
 receive user input identifying a message; 
 receive user input specifying a recipient address for said message; and 
 retrieve from said recipient address key table an encryption key corresponding to said recipient address; 
 
   an encryption engine configured to encrypt said message using said encryption key associated with said recipient address; and   an interface to deliver said encrypted message associated with said recipient address to said message device;   
       said message device configured to:
 use said recipient address specified by said messaging application and context data from said recipient address context data table associated with said recipient address to generate a benign, contextually appropriate message, said benign, contextually appropriate message devoid of explicit reference to said encrypted message and indicative of availability of said encrypted message; 
 determine whether said benign, contextually appropriate message is a repeat of another message previously sent to said recipient address within a predetermined prior time period; and 
 upon determining that said benign, contextually appropriate message is not a repeat of another message, initiate delivery of said benign, contextually appropriate message to said recipient address as an indicator of availability of said encrypted message. 
 
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 said message device configured to determine if said recipient address is a registered address, and if it is not a registered address, said messaging device creates an invitation message and initiates delivery of said invitation message to said recipient address; and   said messaging server configured to initiate delivery of said benign, contextually appropriate message to said recipient address only after said recipient address becomes a registered address.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said benign, contextually appropriate message includes a link value linking said benign, contextually appropriate message to said encrypted message such that a user action associated with said benign, contextually appropriate message causes said message device to initiate access to said encrypted message. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein said user action associated with said benign, contextually appropriate message causes said message device to initiate a password challenge. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein access to said benign, contextually appropriate message requires entry of a first password, and access to said encrypted message requires entry of a second password that is different then said first password. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein a device receiving said benign, contextually appropriate message is configured to authenticate said first password, and said message device is configured to authenticate said second password. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said message device is configured to receive a third password and in response thereto initiate delivery of an alternate benign, contextually appropriate message to the device issuing said third password. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said message application is configured to deliver said benign, contextually appropriate message to a recipient device by way of a third party messaging application. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein said message application is further configured to enable a user to select said third party messaging application by which said benign, contextually appropriate message is to be delivered to said recipient device. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a recipient device comprising a recipient message application operating on a recipient device and configured to receive a request to retrieve said encrypted message, to communicate with said message device to authenticate said request to retrieve said encrypted message, and if said request is authenticated, to initiate retrieving and decrypting said encrypted message. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said message device is configured such that said encrypted message is accessible on said message device only during a predefined lifespan of said encrypted message. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said lifespan is defined by at least one measure selected from the group consisting of: elapsed time, an absolute date, a number of views of said encrypted message, a number of unsuccessful attempted decryptions, and a number of successful attempted decryptions. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said message device is configured to use at least one seed to generate said benign, contextually appropriate message, said seed selected from the group consisting of: a physical location of said recipient; a communication from or to said recipient; and a personal profile of said recipient. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said message application is further configured to encrypt a supplemental document with said message, and bundle together said encrypted message, said encrypted supplemental document for posting to a messaging portion of said message device. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said message device comprises a message server physically separate from said sending device. 
     
     
         16 . A method for providing secret and secure electronic messaging delivery, comprising:
 configuring a message device to comprise a recipient address key table and a recipient address context data table;   configuring a sending device communicatively coupled to said message device to comprise:
 a message application configured to:
 receive user input identifying a message; 
 receive user input specifying a recipient address for said message; and 
 retrieve from said recipient address key table an encryption key corresponding to said recipient address; 
 
   configuring an encryption engine to encrypt said message using said encryption key associated with said recipient address; and   delivering said encrypted message associated with said recipient address to said message device;   
       further configuring said message device to:
 use said recipient address specified by said messaging application and context data from said recipient address context data table associated with said recipient address to generate a benign, contextually appropriate message, said benign, contextually appropriate message devoid of explicit reference to said encrypted message and indicative of availability of said encrypted message; 
 determine whether said benign, contextually appropriate message is a repeat of another message previously sent to said recipient address within a predetermined prior time period; and 
 upon determining that said benign, contextually appropriate message is not a repeat of another notification message, initiate delivery of said benign, contextually appropriate message to said recipient address as an indicator of availability of said encrypted message. 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 configuring said message device to determine if said recipient address is a registered address, and if it is not a registered address, said messaging server creates an invitation message and initiates delivery of said invitation message to said recipient address; and   configuring said messaging server to initiate delivery of said benign, contextually appropriate message to said recipient address only after said recipient address becomes a registered address.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising configuring said message application to deliver said benign, contextually appropriate message to a recipient device by way of a third party messaging application. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising configuring said message application to enable a user to select said third party messaging application by which said benign, contextually appropriate message is to be delivered to said recipient device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising configuring said message device such that said encrypted message is accessible on said message device only during a predefined lifespan of said encrypted message. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising defining said lifespan by at least one measure selected from the group consisting of: elapsed time, an absolute date, a number of views of said encrypted message, a number of unsuccessful attempted decryptions, and a number of successful attempted decryptions. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising configuring said message device to use at least one seed to generate said benign, contextually appropriate message, said seed selected from the group consisting of: a physical location of said recipient; a communication from or to said recipient; and a personal profile of said recipient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising configuring said message application to encrypt a supplemental document with said message, and bundle together said encrypted message, said encrypted supplemental document for posting to a messaging portion of said message device. 
     
     
         24 . A method for providing secret and secure electronic messaging delivery, comprising:
 creating a target message on a first computer-based system, and designating a recipient address for said target message;   retrieving, by said first computer-based system, from a second computer-based system an encryption key associated with said designated recipient address;   encrypting, by said first computer-based system, said target message and providing an encrypted message to said second computer-based system together with said designated recipient address;   generating, by said second computer-based system, a notification message using said designated recipient address and user data associated with said designated recipient address, said notification message devoid of explicit reference to said encrypted message and said notification message indicative of the availability of said encrypted message;   determining, by said second computer-based system, whether said notification message is a repeat of another notification message previously sent to said designated recipient address within a predetermined prior time period;   upon determining that said notification message is not a repeat of another notification message, initiating, by said second computer-based system, delivery of said notification to said designated recipient address to thereby provide an indicator of availability of said encrypted message on said second computer-based system.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising assigning at least two passwords to a user such that a first password may be used to authorize retrieval from said second computer-based system and decryption of said encrypted target message, and a second password may be used to retrieve an alternate notification message from said second computer-based system. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising sending said notification message to an online gaming account associated with said recipient address. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising posting said notification message to a social networking account or a microblogging account associated with said recipient address. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein delivery of said notification message comprises delivering said notification message indicating availability of said encrypted message to a first computing device, further comprising:
 delivering, by said second computer-based system, said encrypted message to a second computing device that is not the same as said first computing device.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein delivery of said notification message comprises modifying a Short Message Service (SMS) message with said notification message by adding prefix data. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein generating said notification message comprises:
 receiving data from a mobile computing device indicating an event that a user associated with said designated recipient address has attended; and   generating said notification message so that the contents of said notification message refer to said event that said user has attended.   
     
     
         31 . A system providing secret and secure electronic messaging delivery, comprising:
 a message device comprising a recipient address key table and a recipient address context data table;   a receiving device communicatively coupled to said message device;   a sending device communicatively coupled to said message device, said sending device comprising:   a message application configured to:
 enable selection of a message; 
 enable specifying a recipient address for said message; and 
 retrieve from said recipient address key table an encryption key corresponding to said recipient address; 
   an encryption engine configured to encrypt said message using said encryption key associated with said recipient address; and   an interface to deliver said encrypted message associated with said recipient address to said message device;   said message device configured to:   use said recipient address specified by said messaging application and context data from said recipient address context data table associated with said recipient address to generate a notification message, said notification message devoid of explicit reference to said encrypted message, but said notification message serving as an indicator of the availability of said encrypted message;   post said encrypted message to a messaging portion of said message device;   initiate delivery of said notification message to said recipient address as an indicator of the availability of said encrypted message;   said receiving device configured to:   receive said notification message and determine whether said notification message indicates said encrypted message is available for retrieval from said message device; and   responsive to determining that said encrypted message is available for retrieval from said message device, retrieve said encrypted message from said message device.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein said receiving device is further configured to determine whether said notification message indicates said encrypted message is available for retrieval from said message device by performing one or more operations that comprise:
 receiving user input that includes a touch-based gesture on a portion of a screen of said receiving device; and   generating and displaying a second notification message that provides confirmation that said encrypted message is available for retrieval from said message device.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein no copy of said encrypted message is retained on said receiving device when a viewing session for said encrypted message terminates.