Hierarchical Encryption Key Policy Evaluation Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current encryption key management systems face synchronization issues between device-level encryption management and communication management, leading to loose controls and potential breakdowns in communication security, especially in structured and ad-hoc organizations.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical structure-based approach for encryption key management, where policies are defined and evaluated within nodes, groups, and users, allowing for priority-based aggregation and temporary exceptions through an evaluation structure, enabling centralized control and synchronization of encryption key operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If device-level encryption management is implemented, then encryption key control is decentralized and flexible, but synchronization with communication management breaks down and security control becomes loose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a key management server as an intermediary between devices and communication management systems. This server receives encryption key generation requests from devices, manages the keys centrally, and provides them back to devices. This intermediary structure maintains the flexibility of device-level operations while ensuring centralized control and synchronization with communication management, thereby resolving the contradiction between adaptability and reliability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If centralized communication management is implemented, then communication control is coordinated, but encryption key management becomes procedurally unsynchronized and loose controls occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges communication management and encryption key management into a unified system. The key management server is integrated with the communication management infrastructure, allowing both functions to operate under coordinated control. This merging ensures that communication management coordination is maintained while encryption key control remains synchronized and secure, eliminating the procedural unsynchronization issue.
3Reliability
If hierarchical policy structure is implemented, then encryption key evaluation is comprehensive and secure, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the policy management structure into hierarchical levels (e.g., organizational policies, departmental policies, device-specific policies). Each level handles specific aspects of encryption key evaluation, allowing comprehensive security checks to be performed in a structured manner. This segmentation makes the complex policy management more manageable by dividing it into smaller, organized components that can be processed systematically.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein relate to apparatuses and methods for evaluating an encryption key based on policies for a policy operation, including, but not limited to, receiving user request for the policy operation, determining one or more of a node, group, client, or user associated with the user request, determining the policies associated with the one or more of the node, group, client, or user based on priority, and evaluating at least one key attribute of an encryption key based, at least in part, on the policies.