Detection of invalid escrow keys
US8667284B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 13, 2012 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 13, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L9/3263
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A secure hash, such as a Hash-based Message Authentication Code (“HMAC”), is generated using a piece of secret information (e.g., a secret key) and a piece of public information specific to each escrow key (e.g., a certificate hash or public key). Using the secret key ensures that escrow key validation data can only be generated by knowing the secret key, which prevents an attacker from generating the appropriate escrow key validation data. Using the certificate hash as the public data ties each escrow key validation data to a particular certificate, thereby preventing the attacker from simply copying the validation data from another escrow key. Any escrow key that is found to be invalid may be removed from the file container and a system audit log may be generated so that a company, individual, or other entity can be aware of the possible attempt at a security breach.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.