Cloud Service Key Management via Master Key Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for managing encryption keys in cloud services face challenges such as key leakage, limited security, and unavailability when the master key is lost, particularly due to reliance on hardware security modules or homomorphic algorithms.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that generate and distribute multiple key pieces capable of reconstructing a master key only under specific conditions, storing these pieces across multiple servers, allowing for secure encryption and decryption of service keys without storing the master key on any server, ensuring secrecy and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the encryption key is stored in a database as plain text, then ease of access is improved, but security deteriorates due to risk of leakage by DBA or insiders
Solution Approach 1:
The master key is segmented into multiple key pieces that are distributed across different servers. No single server or individual can access the complete master key, thereby maintaining security while allowing authorized access through key reconstruction when needed.
2Reliability
If the encryption key is encrypted by HSM, then security is improved, but availability deteriorates because the provider knows the master key
Solution Approach 1:
The secret master key is extracted from the HSM and distributed as key pieces across multiple servers. The HSM provider no longer possesses the complete master key, eliminating the security risk while maintaining the ability to reconstruct the key when needed through the key pieces.
3Reliability
If the master key encrypting the encryption key is lost, then security is maintained, but availability deteriorates as encrypted data cannot be recovered
Solution Approach 1:
Before the master key is potentially lost, it is pre-segmented into multiple key pieces and distributed across different servers. This preliminary action ensures that even if the original master key is lost, it can be reconstructed by combining the distributed key pieces, thereby maintaining availability.
4Ease of operation
If the master key is distributed across multiple servers, then availability is improved, but security deteriorates if key pieces are leaked
Solution Approach 1:
Each server holds only a fragment (key piece) of the master key with limited functionality. The local quality of each key piece is such that it is useless alone but contributes to the whole when combined with other pieces, maintaining security while enabling availability through distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Key management methods and systems are provided, one of methods comprises, encrypting a service key used by an instance of a first user of a cloud service by using a master key, generating two or more key pieces for reconstructing the master key, distributing and storing the key pieces in two or more host servers included in a host group for providing the cloud service, receiving a request for the service key from the instance of the first user, receiving the key pieces from the two or more host servers and reconstructing the master key based on the received key pieces, and decrypting the encrypted service key by using the reconstructed master key.