Cryptographic Key Update via Segmented Base and Temporal Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cryptographic key update systems face challenges when transitioning from a higher update count to a lower update count, leading to encryption/decryption failures, and existing solutions are suboptimal, causing logistical concerns and network unreliability.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a computation unit with processors and memory to manage cryptographic keys by generating temporal keys from a persistent base key using a one-way key update algorithm, updating or zeroizing keys as necessary to match the required update count, and regenerating new keys when necessary, employing an update-and-create-new key update scheme.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a cryptographic key is updated in place with increasing update counts, then the key can be continuously updated for operational needs, but the update count cannot be reduced when transitioning to lower update count requirements causing encryption/decryption failures
Solution Approach 1:
The cryptographic key is segmented into two distinct parts: a persistent base key that remains unchanged and serves as the foundation, and a temporal key that is derived from the base key and can be updated independently. This segmentation allows the temporal key to be regenerated with different update counts without affecting the base key, thereby enabling flexible transition between different update count requirements while maintaining encryption reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The persistent base key is established in advance and stored securely before any temporal keys are generated. This preliminary action creates a stable foundation that allows future temporal keys to be regenerated with any required update count, eliminating the need to increase update counts monotonically and enabling reliable transitions to lower update counts by simply regenerating temporal keys from the pre-established base key.
2Productivity
If the update count is increased to meet operational requirements, then the key can support more updates, but existing keys with higher update counts cannot be reduced to match lower required update counts
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the key into a persistent base key and updatable temporal keys, the system achieves unlimited key update capacity through temporal key regeneration while maintaining adaptability to any required update count. The base key remains constant providing stability, while temporal keys can be generated with any update count value as needed, allowing the system to adapt to varying operational requirements without being constrained by monotonic update count increases.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter management approach by decoupling the update count parameter from the base key. Instead of increasing the base key's update count monotonically, the system generates temporal keys with specific update count parameters as required. This allows the update count parameter to be adjusted flexibly up or down by regenerating temporal keys from the persistent base key, achieving both high update capacity and full adaptability to different operational needs.
3Reliability
If conventional solutions are used to handle m>n conditions by zeroizing keys or reloading original keys, then encryption can continue, but logistical concerns and network unreliability issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The persistent base key is established in advance and stored securely in the computation unit, creating a ready foundation that eliminates the need for complex key reloading procedures. When update count mismatches occur, the system simply regenerates temporal keys from the pre-stored base key, avoiding logistical concerns associated with key reloading and reducing key management complexity while maintaining encryption continuity.
Solution Approach 2:
The computation unit maintains the persistent base key locally and uses it to self-generate temporal keys as needed without requiring external key reloading or complex coordination. This self-service capability allows the system to handle update count mismatches autonomously by regenerating temporal keys from its own stored base key, reducing key management complexity and improving reliability without external intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for updating a cryptographic key via a computation unit configured with one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors is disclosed. The method includes loading a base key into a cryptographic storage unit integrated with a cryptographic application. The method includes generating a temporal key based on the base key using a one-way key update algorithm via cryptographic application logic integrated within the cryptographic application. The temporal key is assigned an update count based on the number of updates performed on the temporal key. The method further includes comparing the update count value to a required update count, updating the temporal key if the update count is less than the required update count, and zeroizing the temporal key if the update count is more than the required update count, in which the temporal key may be regenerated with the required update count.