Encryption Key Management with Usage-Based Rotation for Data Loss Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing large volumes of cryptographic keys in enterprises is challenging due to the risk of data loss if a key is compromised, and existing solutions fail to efficiently track and control key usage, leading to increased exposure and difficulty in maintaining data integrity and privacy.
Innovation Solution
A centralized key management system allocates a plurality of exportable keys (EKs) to users with usage limits, employing envelope encryption and probabilistic models to ensure data loss thresholds are not exceeded, while allowing users to maintain data on their premises securely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If more cryptographic keys are used to encrypt data, then data security and privacy are improved, but key management complexity and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data encryption into multiple independent cryptographic keys instead of using a single key for all data. Each key encrypts a portion of the data, allowing the system to maintain high security through distributed key usage while simplifying management by tracking individual key usage metrics rather than managing a monolithic key system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors usage metrics of each cryptographic key (number of data objects encrypted, data volume) and uses this information to determine when to rotate keys. This automated feedback loop enables the system to maintain optimal security without manual intervention in complex key management decisions.
2Device complexity
If fewer cryptographic keys are used, then key management becomes easier, but data loss risk increases if a key is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the encryption workload across multiple segmented keys, each handling a portion of the data. This segmentation ensures that even if one key is compromised or lost, only a fraction of the data is at risk, thereby reducing overall data loss risk while maintaining manageable key quantities through automated selection algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares for key compromise scenarios by pre-establishing multiple backup keys and implementing usage metrics that trigger proactive key rotation before any compromise occurs. This cushioning approach ensures continuous data protection even if individual keys fail, reducing the impact of any single key compromise.
3Productivity
If a single cryptographic key encrypts large volumes of data, then key usage efficiency is improved, but security exposure increases if the key is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data encryption function across multiple keys, with each key responsible for encrypting only a subset of data objects. This segmentation limits the security exposure of any single key to a small fraction of the total data, while the system maintains high productivity by automatically selecting and rotating among multiple efficient keys based on usage metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes the parameter of key selection based on usage metrics and data volume. The system adjusts which keys are used for encryption based on real-time monitoring of key performance and data characteristics, optimizing both efficiency and security exposure limits through adaptive parameter adjustment rather than static key assignment.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for encryption key management executed by one or more computing devices of a management system includes receiving an encryption request from an application, the encryption request including a request to encrypt at least one data object, the application associated with a corresponding user, determining a usage metric of each of a plurality of existing encryption keys associated with the corresponding user, each usage metric comprising a number of data objects encrypted by a respective existing encryption key, determining whether to transmit an existing encryption key in the plurality of existing encryption keys to the application or to transmit instructions to the application configured to cause the application to generate a new encryption key, and transmitting, to the application, either the existing encryption key or the instructions configured to cause the application to generate the new encryption key.