Cryptographic key split binder for use with tagged data elements

• US 8,077,870 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TecSec, Incorporated
• Original Assignee: TecSec, Incorporated
• Inventors: Wack, C. Jay, Scheidt, Edward M., Kolouch, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US12/906,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20110116628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 380/44, 380/277, 380/200
• US Class Current: 380/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0866 involving user or device identifiers, e.g. serial number, physical or biometrical information, DNA, hand-signature or measurable physical characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0869 involving random numbers or seeds

Abstract

A process of cryptographically securing a data object including one or more respectively tagged data elements includes selecting a tagged data element from among a plurality of tagged data elements, based on an associated data tag. A plurality of cryptographic key splits is generated from seed data. The cryptographic key splits are bound together to produce a first cryptographic key. A second cryptographic key is generated based on security requirements of the data object. The tagged data element is encrypted using the first cryptographic key. The data object encrypting using the second cryptographic key. At least one of the cryptographic key splits is based on the associated data tag.

Claims

1. A process of creating cryptographic keys to secure a data object including a tagged data element, comprising:

selecting a tagged data element, from among a plurality of tagged data elements, based on an associated data tag;

generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data;

binding the cryptographic key splits together to produce a first cryptographic key; and

generating a second cryptographic key based on security requirements of the data object;

wherein at least one of the cryptographic key splits is based on the associated data tag.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the cryptographic key is one of a symmetric key and an asymmetric key.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the seed data for the at least one cryptographic key split includes the associated data tag.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the associated data tag is the seed data for the at least one cryptographic key split.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a random split based on reference data.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a label split based on tag data.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a label split based on tag data.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the associated data tag corresponds to at least one of a role, a rule and a privilege.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the associated data tag corresponds to at least one label based on one of a role, a rule and a privilege.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein the associated data tag corresponds to an identification function unrelated to access control.

19. The process of claim 1 wherein the associated data tag corresponds to at least one label based on one of a role, a rule and a privilege.

11. A process of cryptographically securing a data object including one or more respectively tagged data elements, comprising:

selecting a tagged data element, from among a plurality of tagged data elements, based on an associated data tag;

generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data;

binding the cryptographic key splits together to produce a first cryptographic key;

generating a second cryptographic key based on security requirements of the data object;

encrypting the tagged data element with the first cryptographic key; and

encrypting the data object with the second cryptographic key;

wherein at least one of the cryptographic key splits is based on the associated data tag.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the cryptographic key is one of a symmetric key and an asymmetric key.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the seed data for the at least one cryptographic key split includes the associated data tag.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein the associated data tag is the seed data for the at least one cryptographic key split.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a random split based on reference data.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a label split based on tag data.

17. The process of claim 11, wherein generating a plurality of cryptographic key splits from seed data includes generating a label split based on tag data.

18. The process of claim 11, wherein the associated data tag corresponds to at least one of a role, a rule and a privilege.

20. The process of claim 11, wherein the associated data tag corresponds to an identification function unrelated to access control.