Auditing secret key cryptographic operations

Abstract

In a cryptographic system, the unlocking of secret keys on a user system is audited and correlated with other events that typically occur after the secret key is used to perform a cryptographic operation. Audit evidence of secret key cryptographic operations is recorded for later review and / or analysis, for use as stored evidence of unauthorized activity and / or for use in refuting false claims of repudiation of authorized activity. Some systems might also provide users with user activity reports that can alert a user to suspicious or unauthorized activity using that user's access.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 803,457, filed Mar. 17, 2004, entitled “AUDITING SECRET KEY CRYPTOGRAPHIC OPERATIONS,” the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]It is well know to control access to data, applications, etc., through the use of keys. As used herein, the term “resource” refers to anything that a computer system might control, such as data, an application, a message, a communication channel, equipment, etc. Controlling access might involve controlling, in whole or part, a user's ability to read, write, modify, control, alter, etc., the resource having a controlled access. Control might have multiple attributes, such that a given user might be granted a particular access to a resource under some conditions, but not others. For example, a user A might be allow...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Thus, although a user with unlimited time and computing power might be able to bypass an access control system, that does not make the system not well-designed.

Both key techniques depend on secure protection of the secret key (or the private key of a public-private key pair), so that unauthorized users do not get access to resources when access is to be prevented for those users.

While those auditing techniques are useful, they might miss security breaches, fail to detect breaches early enough for remedial action to take place and might not be suitable for limiting repudiation by authorized users.

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