Distributed key encryption in servers

US9047477B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC · US

Inventors

• Fabian Nunez-Tejerina · Redmond, US
• Jeffrey B. Kay · Bellevue, US
• Robert C. Fruth · Redmond, US
• Naveen A. Palavalli · Bothell, US
• Ramesh Chinta · Sammamish, US
• Tolga Acar · Sammamish, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 26, 2009
• Grant date: Jun 2, 2015
• Expiry date: Jul 29, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04L63/0823
• WIPO field: Digital communication
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Architecture that stores specific passwords on behalf of users, and encrypts the passwords using encryption keys managed by a distributed key management system. The encryption keys are stored in a directory service (e.g., hierarchical) in an area that is inaccessible by selected entities (e.g., administrative users) having superior permissions such as supervisory administrators, but accessible to the account components that need to access the unencrypted passwords. The distributed key management system makes the encryption key stored in the directory service available to all hardware/software components that need the key to encrypt or decrypt the passwords.