Patent Number 6831982
Issue Date 2004 12 14
Assignee Storage Technology Corporation
Inventor(s) Hughes, James Prescott
McCown, Steven Harvey
State/Country MN
Title Encryption key management system using multiple smart cards
Abstract Initially, a key range variable is created by concatenating the card group value, card number and reference number for an encryption key to be generated. A hashing algorithm generates an encryption key from a master key and the variable key range variable. The encryption key and the key range variable are output to the caller who requested the key. The encryption key is used to encrypt the information, while the variable key range is stored with the encrypted data. Generation of a decryption key requires a user call for a decryption key and includes the key range variable from the encrypted data. A hashing algorithm generates a decryption key from the master key and the key range variable. The decryption key is used to decrypt the information. Exmp. Claim 1 Ex Claim text An encryption key management system comprising: a master key; a portable processor, wherein the portable processor uses the master key for generating an encryption key; a variable key range variable, wherein the portable processor further uses the variable key range variable for generating the encryption key, wherein the variable key range variable comprises at least one of a card number, a card group number and a reference number representing a number of keys; and an incrementor for increasing the value of the reference number in response to the encryption key being generated.
