Synchronizable hardware security module
US10425225B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 14, 2016 |
| Grant date | Sep 24, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 2, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2463/062
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An HSM cluster includes a set of hardware security modules that maintain a set of cryptographic keys that are synchronized across the HSM cluster. Individual applications running on client computer systems access the HSM cluster using HSM cluster clients running on the client computer systems. The HSMs are accessed via a set of HSM cluster servers that monitor the synchronization of the cryptographic keys. Synchronization of the HSMs is maintained by the HSM cluster clients. The HSM cluster clients replicate key-addition and key-deletion operations across the HSM cluster. When a new key is created by a particular HSM, a prefix associated with the particular HSM is added to the identifier associated with the new key to avoid key-namespace collisions. If the set of cryptographic keys becomes unsynchronized across the HSM cluster, applications may continue read-only cryptographic operations while the HSM cluster is resynchronized by the HSM cluster clients.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.