Distribution of keys for encryption/decryption

Abstract

Methods of encryption and decryption are described which use a key associated with an event to encrypt/decrypt data associated with the event. The method of encryption comprises identifying a key associated with an event and encrypting data using the identified key. The encrypted data is then published along with details of the event.

1 . A computer-implemented method of decryption comprising the steps of:
 subsequent to conclusion of an event, accessing encrypted data and details of the event;   identifying a plurality of keys associated with the event; and   executing, by a processor, machine readable instructions for decrypting the encrypted data using at least a subset of the identified plurality of keys, the subset including at least two keys.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the details of the event comprise at least one of: a date, a time, a day of a week, a location, an attendee list or an event name. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 during the event, receiving a particular key of the plurality of keys via a wireless receiver; and   storing the particular key in association with the details of the event,   and wherein the step of identifying the plurality of keys comprises:
 retrieving the stored particular key. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during the event, receiving at least one key of the plurality of keys via a wireless receiver associated with a particular event attendee; and   during the event, transmitting the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein transmitting the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee comprises:
 determining whether a number of hops that the at least one key has been transmitted between a recipient and an original sender is below a threshold number of transmissions;   in an event that the number of hops is below the threshold number of transmissions, transmitting the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the number of hops is not below the threshold number of transmissions, preventing transmission of the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein transmitting the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee comprises:
 determining whether a transmission time threshold has been reached;   in an event that the transmission time threshold has not been reached, transmitting the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the transmission time threshold has been reached, preventing transmission of the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of accessing comprises:
 retrieving the encrypted data and the details of the event from one of: a website, a public folder, an email or a server.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a first of the at least two keys is obtained during the event and a second of the at least two keys is obtained at a time other than during the event. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method of decryption comprising the steps of:
 identifying a first key associated with a first portion of data associated with an event;   identifying a second key associated with a second portion of data associated with the event;   subsequent to conclusion of the event, accessing encrypted data and details of the event, the encrypted data including the first portion of data and the second portion of data; and   executing, by a processor, machine readable instructions for decrypting the encrypted data using at least the first key to decrypt the first portion of the data and using at least the second key to decrypt the second portion of the data.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 during the event, receiving at least one of the first key or second key via a wireless receiver associated with a particular event attendee; and   during the event, transmitting the at least one of the first key or second key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the at least one of the first key or second key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee comprises:
 determining whether a number of hops that the at least one of the first key or second key has been transmitted between a recipient and an original sender is below a threshold number of transmissions;   in an event that the number of hops is below the threshold number of transmissions, transmitting the at least one of the first key or second key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the number of hops is not below the threshold number of transmissions, preventing transmission of the at least one of the first key or second key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein transmitting the at least one of the first key or second key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee comprises:
 determining whether a transmission time threshold has been reached;   in an event that the transmission time threshold has not been reached, transmitting the at least one of the first key or second key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the transmission time threshold has been reached, preventing transmission of the at least one of the first key or second key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         13 . A decryption system comprising:
 a processor configured to:
 subsequent to conclusion of an event, access encrypted data and details of the event; 
 identify a plurality of keys associated with the event; and 
 decrypt the encrypted data using at least a subset of the identified plurality of keys, the subset including at least two keys. 
   
     
     
         14 . The decryption system according to  claim 13 , wherein the details of the event comprise at least one of: a date, a time, a day of a week, a location, an attendee list or an event name. 
     
     
         15 . The decryption system according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 during the event, receive a particular key of the plurality of keys via a wireless receiver; and   store the particular key in association with the details of the event,   wherein the processor being configured to identify the plurality of keys includes the processor being configured to retrieve the stored particular key.   
     
     
         16 . The decryption system according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 during the event, receive at least one key of the plurality of keys via a wireless receiver associated with a particular event attendee; and   during the event, transmit the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         17 . The decryption system according to  claim 16 , wherein the processor being configured to transmit the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee includes the processor being configured to:
 determine whether a number of hops that the at least one key has been transmitted between a recipient and an original sender is below a threshold number of transmissions;   in an event that the number of hops is below the threshold number of transmissions, transmit the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the number of hops is not below the threshold number of transmissions, prevent transmission of the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         18 . The decryption system according to  claim 16 , wherein the processor being configured to transmit the at least one key using a wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee includes the processor being configured to:
 determine whether a transmission time threshold has been reached;   in an event that the transmission time threshold has not been reached, transmit the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee; and   in an event that the transmission time threshold has been reached, prevent transmission of the at least one key using the wireless transmitter associated with the particular event attendee.   
     
     
         19 . The decryption system according to  claim 13 , wherein the processor being configured to access includes the processor being configured to retrieve the encrypted data and the details of the event from one of: a website, a public folder, an email or a server. 
     
     
         20 . The decryption system according to  claim 13 , wherein a first of the at least two keys is obtained during the event and a second of the at least two keys is obtained at a time other than during the event.