CRYPTOGRAPHIC ENCODING AND DECODING OF SECRET DATA
First Claim
1. A method for cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system implemented by a computing apparatus, the method comprising:
- encoding, by an encoding unit, said secret data in accordance with a verifiable encryption process to produce a cryptographic construction (θ
) having a decryption constraint dependent on the occurrence of a predetermined event, thereby cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system. The secret data is encoded in accordance with a verifiable encryption process to produce a cryptographic construction (θ) having a decryption constraint dependent on the occurrence of a predetermined event. An event-dependent decryption constraint is thereby built into the cryptography, so that there is an intrinsic restriction on the ability to decrypt the encoded secret data which is dependent on occurrence of the predetermined event. Decoding apparatus for such a cryptographic construction is also provided, as well as distributed trust data processing systems providing accountable privacy based on use of such cryptographic constructions.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method for cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system implemented by a computing apparatus, the method comprising:
encoding, by an encoding unit, said secret data in accordance with a verifiable encryption process to produce a cryptographic construction (θ
) having a decryption constraint dependent on the occurrence of a predetermined event, thereby cryptographically encoding secret data in a data processing system.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
9. A distributed trust data processing system for cryptographically encoding and decoding data, comprising:
-
a user computer, wherein said user computer is adapted to (i) generate a public key of a public-private keypair which is dependent on an event indicator (tω
) indicative of a predetermined first event such that extraction of a private key (skθ
) of said keypair is also dependent on occurrence of said event indicated by said event indicator (tω
), (ii) use said public key to encode secret data in accordance with a verifiable encryption process which produces a cryptographic construction (θ
) having a decryption constraint dependent on the occurrence of said predetermined first event, and (iii) send said cryptographic construction (θ
) to said verifier computer via a data communications network;a key-extraction computer, wherein said key-extraction computer is adapted to respond to said request from said verifier computer by (i) determining if a predetermined decoding condition, dependent on occurrence of at least one event including said predetermined first event, exists (ii) extracting said private key (skθ
) of said keypair and sending said private key (skθ
) to said verifier computer if said predetermined decoding condition exists; anda verifier computer, wherein said verifier computer is adapted to (i) verify that said cryptographic construction (θ
) contains said secret data, (ii) store said cryptographic construction (θ
) in memory (10), (iii) communicate with said key extraction computer via said data communications network to request said private key (skθ
) for said cryptographic construction (θ
), and (iv) decode said cryptographic construction on receipt of said private key (skθ
);wherein said user, verifier, and key-extraction computers are adapted for communication via said data communications network. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification