Patent · US Active

Off-loading data re-encryption in encrypted data management systems

US7454021B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
4References
30Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 2004
Grant dateNov 18, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 17, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04L2209/60
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Described is a solution for maintaining the security of encrypted data despite a compromised private key by using a re-encryption process that does not require decryption of the encrypted data. The compromised private key is re-encrypted using a new public key as is the encrypted symmetric key which the compromised private key can decrypt. When a decrypted version of the encrypted data is requested, the private key corresponding to the new public key decrypts both the encrypted version of the compromised private key and the re-encrypted version of the symmetric key resulting in the unencrypted compromised private key and the previously encrypted version of the symmetric key, which when decrypted using the compromised private key decrypts the encrypted data. The unencrypted symmetric key can then be encrypted using the new public key any encrypted compromised private key can be deleted.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.