Cryptographic key management scheme

• US 20020080958A1
• Filed: 07/02/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SafeNet Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Original Assignee: SafeNet Incorporated (Thales SA)
• Inventors: Reed, Peter, Ober, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 6,959,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/72 in cryptographic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/74 operating in dual or compartmented mode, i.e. at least one secure mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/82 Protecting input, output or interconnection devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0836 using tree structure or hierarchical structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0841 involving Diffie-Hellman or related key agreement protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068

Abstract

A key management scheme for managing encryption keys in a cryptographic co-processor includes the first step of selecting a key from one of a symmetrical key type and an asymmetrical key type. Then, the key bit length is selected. The key is then generated and, lastly, the key is represented in either an external form or an internal form.

Claims

1. A method of managing the use of keys in a cryptographic co-processor, which comprises the steps of:

selecting a key from one of a symmetrical key type and an asymmetrical key type;

selecting a bit length from the selected key;

generating the key; and

representing the key in one of an external form and an internal form.