Single-use authentication methods for accessing encrypted data

US8745386B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Octavian T. Ureche · Renton, US
• Nils Dussart · Kenmore, US
• Charles G. Jeffries · Sammamish, US
• Cristian M. Ilac · Sammamish, US
• Vijay G. Bharadwaj · Sammamish, US
• Innokentiy Basmov · Redmond, US
• Stefan Thom · Snohomish, US
• Son VoBa · Sammamish, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 21, 2010
• Grant date: Jun 3, 2014
• Expiry date: Jun 27, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F2221/2131
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Single-use authentication methods for accessing encrypted data stored on a protected volume of a computer are described, wherein access to the encrypted data involves decrypting a key protector stored on the computer that holds a volume-specific cryptographic key needed to decrypt the protected volume. Such single-use authentication methods rely on the provision of a key protector that can only be used once and/or that requires a new access credential for each use. In certain embodiments, a challenge-response process is also used as part of the authentication method to tie the issuance of a key protector and/or access credential to particular pieces of information that can uniquely identify a user.