KEY CREATION AND ROTATION FOR DATA ENCRYPTION

• US 20140177829A1
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KeyNexus, Inc. (StorMagic Limited)
• Original Assignee: KeyNexus, Inc. (StorMagic Limited)
• Inventors: MacMillan, Jeffrey Earl, Offrey, Jason Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 8,879,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards enabling cryptographic key rotation without disrupting cryptographic operations. If key rotation is initiated, a transitional key may be generated by encrypting the current key with a built-in system key. A new key may be generated based one at least one determined key parameter. Next, the new key may be activated by the one or more key holders. If the new key is activated, it may be designated as the new current key. The new current key may be employed to encrypt the transitional key and store it in a key array. Each additional rotated key may be stored in the key array after it is encrypted by the current cryptographic key. Further, in response to a submission of an unencrypted query value, one or more encrypted values that correspond to a determined number of rotated cryptographic keys are generated.

Claims

1. A method for cryptographic processing of data using a network device that is operative to perform actions, comprising:

responsive to receiving a request to rotate at least one current key, performing further actions, including;

generating at least one transitional key by encrypting the at least one current key using at least one system key;

generating at least one new key based on at least one determined key parameter;

activating the at least one new key based on data provided by at least two key holders, wherein the provided data includes at least a password provided by each key holder and a portion of keying data provided by each key holder, wherein the at least portion of keying data is based on at least one of seeding data, or entropy data;

generating at least one new current key based on the at least one activated key, wherein the at least one new current key is stored at least in volatile memory; and

encrypting the at least one transitional key using the at least one new current key and storing it in at least one key array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the at least one new key further comprises, receiving at least a portion of keying data from the at least one key holder, wherein the at least one key holder activates the at least portion of keying data using at least one password that corresponds to the at least portion of keying data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the at least one transitional key in the at least one key array further comprises, linking a previous current key with the at least one new current key.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if at least one encrypted data packet is received from at least one client device, iterating through the at least one key array performing further actions, including;

retrieving at least one other key from the at least one key array based on at least one key array index;

decrypting the at least one encrypted data packet using the at least one other key;

if at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies the at least one other key, sending at least a portion of the decrypted data to the at least one client device; and

if the at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies a different key, advance the at least one key array index to the next eligible and available key in the at least one key array.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one password from the at least one key holder;

retrieving each un-activated key that is associated with the at least one key holder; and

validating at least a portion of keying data associated with each un-activated key using the at least one password.

6. The method claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at least one request from at least one client device that includes at least one query value and at least one key name;

retrieving at least one key, wherein the at least one retrieved key is associated with the at least one key name;

encrypting the at least one query value to generate at least one encrypted query value, wherein the at least one encrypted query value is generated for each retrieved key; and

returning the at least one encrypted query value to the at least one client device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, storing the at least one current key and the at least one rotated key in a cache that is in volatile memory.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising, generating a key name that is associated with the at least one current key, the determined key parameter, and the data provided by the at least one key holder.

9. A network device for cryptographic processing of data over a network, comprising:

a transceiver component for communicating over a network;

a memory component for storing instructions and data; and

a processor component that executes instructions that enable actions, including;

responsive to receiving a request to rotate at least one current key, performing further actions, including;

generating at least one transitional key by encrypting the at least one current key using at least one system key;

generating at least one new key based on at least one determined key parameter;

activating the at least one new key based on data provided by at least two key holders, wherein the provided data includes at least a password provided by each key holder and a portion of keying data provided by each key holder, wherein the at least portion of keying data is based on at least one of seeding data, or entropy data;

generating at least one new current key based on the at least one activated key, wherein the at least one new current key is stored at least in volatile memory; and

encrypting the at least one transitional key using the at least one new current key and storing it in at least one key array.

10. The network device of claim 9, wherein activating the at least one new key further comprises, receiving at least a portion of keying data from the at least one key holder, wherein the at least one key holder activates the at least portion of keying data using at least one password that corresponds to the at least portion of keying data.

11. The network device of claim 9, wherein storing the at least one transitional key in the at least one key array further comprises, linking a previous current key with the at least one new current key.

12. The network device of claim 9, further comprising:

if at least one encrypted data packet is received from at least one client device, iterating through the at least one key array performing further actions, including;

retrieving at least one other key from the at least one key array based on at least one key array index;

decrypting the at least one encrypted data packet using the at least one other key;

if at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies the at least one other key, sending at least a portion of the decrypted data to the at least one client device; and

if the at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies a different key, advance the at least one key array index to the next eligible and available key in the at least one key array.

13. The network device of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving at least one password from the at least one key holder;

retrieving each un-activated key that is associated with the at least one key holder; and

validating at least a portion of keying data associated with each un-activated key using the at least one password.

14. The network device of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving at least one request from at least one client device that includes at least one query value and at least one key name;

retrieving at least one key, wherein the at least one retrieved key is associated with the at least one key name;

encrypting the at least one query value to generate at least one encrypted query value, wherein at least one encrypted query value is generated for each retrieved key; and

returning the at least one encrypted query value to the at least one client device.

15. The network device of claim 9, further comprising, storing the at least one current key and the at least one rotated key in a cache that is in volatile memory.

16. The network device of claim 9, further comprising, generating a key name that is associated with the at least one current key, the determined key parameter, and the data provided by the at least one key holder.

17. A processor readable non-transitive storage media that includes instructions for cryptographic processing of data using a network device that includes a plurality of components and is operative to execute the instructions to perform actions, comprising:

responsive to receiving a request to rotate at least one current key, performing further actions, including;

generating at least one transitional key by encrypting at least one current key using at least one system key;

generating at least one new key based on at least one determined key parameter;

activating the at least one new key based on data provided by at least two key holders, wherein the provided data includes at least a password provided by each key holder and a portion of keying provided by each key holder, wherein the at least portion of keying data is based on at least one of seeding data, or entropy data;

generating at least one new current key based on the at least one activated key, wherein the at least one new current key is stored at least in volatile memory; and

encrypting the at least one transitional key using the at least one new current key and storing it in at least one key array.

18. The media of claim 17, wherein activating the at least one new key further comprises, receiving at least a portion of keying data from at least one key holder, wherein the at least one key holder activates the at least portion of keying data using at least one password that corresponds to the at least portion of keying data.

19. The media of claim 17, wherein storing the at least one transitional key in the at least one key array further comprises, linking a previous current key with the at least one new current key.

20. The media of claim 17, further comprising:

if at least one encrypted data packet is received from at least one client device, iterating through the at least one key array performing further actions, including;

retrieving at least one other key from the at least one key array based on at least one key array index;

decrypting the at least one encrypted data packet using the at least one other key;

if at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies the at least one other key, sending at least a portion of the decrypted data to the at least one client device; and

if the at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies a different key, advance the at least one key array index to the next eligible and available key in at least one key array.

21. The media of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving at least one password from the at least one key holder;

retrieving each un-activated key that is associated with the at least one key holder; and

validating at least a portion of keying data associated with each un-activated key using the at least one password.

22. The media of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving at least one request from at least one client device that includes at least one query value and at least one key name;

retrieving at least one key, wherein the at least one retrieved key is associated with at least one key name;

encrypting the at least one query value to generate at least one encrypted query value, wherein the at least one encrypted query value is generated for each retrieved key; and

returning the at least one encrypted query value to the at least one client device.

23. The media of claim 17, further comprising, storing the at least one current key and the at least one rotated key in a cache that is in volatile memory.

24. A system arranged for cryptographic processing of data, comprising:

a server device, including;

a transceiver device that is operative to communicate over the network;

a memory device that is operative to store at least instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including;

responsive to receiving a request to rotate at least one current key, enabling further actions, including;

generating at least one transitional key by encrypting at least one current key using at least one system key;

generating at least one new key based on at least one determined key parameter;

activating the at least one new key based on data provided by at least two key holders, wherein the provided data includes at least a password provided by each key holder and a portion of keying data provided by each key holder, wherein the at least portion of keying data is based on at least one of seeding data, or entropy data;

generating at least one new current key based on the at least one activated key, wherein the at least one new current key is stored at least in volatile memory; and

encrypting the at least one transitional key using the at least one new current key and storing it in at least one key array; and

a client device, comprising,

a transceiver device that is operative to communicate over the network;

a memory device that is operative to store at least instructions; and

a processor device that is operative to execute instructions that enable actions, including, at least one of providing at least a portion of the data provided by the at least one key holder, or providing the request to rotate the at least one current key.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein activating the at least one new key further comprises, receiving at least a portion of keying data from the at least one key holder, wherein the at least one key holder activates the at least portion of keying data using at least one password that corresponds to the at least portion of keying data.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein storing the at least one transitional key in the at least one key array further comprises, linking a previous current key with the at least one new current key.

27. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

if at least one encrypted data packet is received from at least one client device, iterating through the at least one key array performing further actions, including;

retrieving at least one other key from the at least one key array based on at least one key array index;

decrypting the at least one encrypted data packet using the at least one other key;

if at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies the at least one other key, sending at least a portion of the decrypted data to the at least one client device; and

if the at least one identifier included in the decrypted data packet identifies a different key, advance the at least one key array index to the next eligible and available key in the at least one key array.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving at least one password from the at least one key holder;

retrieving each un-activated key that is associated with the at least one key holder; and

validating at least a portion of keying data associated with each un-activated key using the at least one password.

29. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving at least one request from at least one client device that includes at least one query value and at least one key name;

retrieving at least one key, wherein the at least one retrieved key is associated with the at least one key name;

encrypting the at least one query value to generate at least one encrypted query value, wherein the at least one encrypted query value is generated for each retrieved key; and

returning the at least one encrypted query value to the at least one client device.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising, storing the at least one current key and the at least one rotated key in a cache that is in volatile memory.