Distributed Cryptographic Key Loading for Low-Latency Microservices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Centralized Cryptography as a Service (CaaS) systems are expensive, limited in scalability, and suffer from network latency issues, making them impractical for high-throughput applications in the financial industry.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a decentralized and distributed Cryptography as a Service (D-CaaS) system with microservice applications running locally on application servers, utilizing a centralized key management system for key management operations, eliminating the need for continuous network access and reducing latency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a centralized CaaS system is implemented, then cryptographic services can be provided through a single service provider, but network latency increases and throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecentralized service managementVSAvoidnetwork latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the centralized CaaS system into distributed edge microservice nodes deployed at multiple network locations. Each node independently provides cryptographic services locally, eliminating the need for continuous network communication with a central server and thereby reducing network latency while maintaining service management capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If large CaaS systems with many nodes are deployed, then cryptographic capabilities are enhanced, but system cost increases prohibitively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecryptographic service capabilityVSAvoidsystem cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs containerized microservice nodes that can be rapidly deployed, scaled, and replaced. These lightweight container instances provide cryptographic capabilities without requiring expensive dedicated hardware, allowing the system to achieve high reliability through distributed redundancy while controlling costs through efficient resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Ease of operation

If cryptographic operations are outsourced to a centralized service, then key management is simplified, but continuous network access is required increasing latency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekey managementVSAvoidnetwork access time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary key management at the edge microservice nodes, where cryptographic keys are pre-loaded and managed locally within container instances. This allows cryptographic operations to be performed immediately without requiring continuous network access to a centralized key management system, thereby eliminating network access time delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12476798B2Systems and methods for distributed cryptography as a service key loading

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

An application server has a custodian application running thereon. The custodian application instantiates a cryptographic microservice. The custodian application transmits a request message to a centralized KMS requesting a data encryption key. In response, the centralized KMS returns the data encryption key. The custodian application transmits the authorization grant request to the centralized KMS and receives the authorization grant and encrypted data encryption key in return. The custodian application transmits the authorization grant and encrypted data encryption key to the cryptographic microservice application. The cryptographic microservice application transmits the authorization grant and encrypted data encryption key to the centralized KMS and receives the decrypted data encryption key in return.