Key management in secure network enclaves
US9742560B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 11, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 22, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 8, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L63/164
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A hierarchical key generation and distribution mechanism for a computer system in which devices are organized into secure enclaves. The mechanism enables network access to be tailored to approximate minimum needed privileges for each device. At the lowest level of the hierarchy, keys are used to form security associations between devices. Keys at each level of the hierarchy are generated from keys at a higher level of the hierarchy and key derivation information. Key derivation information is readily ascertainable, either from identifiers for devices or from within messages, supporting hardware offload of cryptographic functions. Because keys may be generated based on the enclaves in which the hosts participating in a security association are located, the system includes a mechanism by which devices can discover the enclave in which they are located.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.