Fragmented Key Cryptography Module for Secure ECDSA Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional encryption systems rely heavily on the security of a private key, which can be compromised by unauthorized access, leading to breaches in security, especially in public key cryptosystems like RSA and ECC.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a cryptography module that bifurcates the private key into multiple fragments, stored in different locations, allowing decryption and authentication processes to occur using these fragments without reassembling the full key, thereby enhancing security by requiring all fragments to be accessed for key reconstruction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the private key is stored as a single unit for decryption and authentication, then the decryption and authentication processes are simple and efficient, but the security is compromised because unauthorized access to the single key leads to security breaches

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidkey management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The private key is divided into multiple key fragments (first key fragment, second key fragment, etc.) that are stored separately in different locations or secure elements. The decryption and authentication processes require combining these fragments, which resolves the security issue by ensuring that no single point of failure exists, while the system manages the complexity through structured key management protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the private key is fragmented and stored in different locations, then the security is improved by preventing unauthorized access to the full key, but the decryption and authentication processes become more complex requiring key reconstruction

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddecryption process simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The key fragments are pre-generated and stored in secure locations before they are needed for decryption or authentication. The system prepares the fragmented key structure in advance, so that when decryption or authentication is required, the fragments can be retrieved and combined following predetermined protocols, reducing the operational complexity at the time of use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A cryptography module or secure processing unit acts as an intermediary that manages the key fragments, retrieves them from storage, performs the combination operation, and uses the reconstructed key for decryption or authentication without exposing the fragments or the full key. This intermediary handles the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to the user

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8705730B2Elliptic curve cryptography with fragmented key processing and methods for use therewith

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

A cryptography module includes a key store having a plurality of storage locations for storing a private key as k key fragments. One or more crypto-processing segments each operate based on corresponding ones of the k key fragments to process a message in accordance with elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) to produce a signed message.