Single-Use Recovery Credentials for Encrypted Volume Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional full-volume encryption systems allow recovery authentication methods to be repeatedly used, posing a security risk, and lack a single-use authentication method for bypassing primary authentication in scenarios like hardware failure or system management without user interaction.
Innovation Solution
Implement single-use authentication methods that utilize a key protector usable only once and require new access credentials each time, often involving a challenge-response process tied to user-specific information, and may involve TPM-based operations or server interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a recovery access credential is provisioned to allow emergency access to protected volume, then accessibility is improved, but security deteriorates because the credential can be continuously reused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements single-use recovery credentials that are designed to be consumed once and then invalidated. The system provisions disposable credentials (such as one-time use PINs or temporary passcodes) that automatically expire after a single successful authentication event, preventing any possibility of reuse while maintaining emergency accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-provisioning single-use credentials before they are needed. These credentials are generated and stored in advance with embedded usage counters or validity flags that automatically detect and prevent subsequent use attempts, ensuring security without requiring complex real-time validation during each access attempt.
2Ease of operation
If primary authentication method is bypassed for emergency access, then accessibility is improved, but security deteriorates due to potential misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable single-use credentials that can bypass primary authentication only once. After the credential is used to access the protected volume, it is automatically invalidated and cannot be used again, thereby preventing any subsequent misuse or replay attacks while still allowing legitimate emergency access when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through usage tracking and validation logic that monitors credential usage. Each credential contains or is associated with a usage counter that provides feedback on whether the credential has already been consumed, preventing unauthorized reuse and providing audit trails for security monitoring.
3Reliability
If authentication requires user interaction, then security is improved, but productivity deteriorates during automated system operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides single-use credentials that can be provisioned for automated systems to perform authentication without requiring continuous user interaction. These credentials are designed for one-time use in automated scenarios such as unattended reboots or scripted operations, maintaining security by limiting use to a single event while enabling automated productivity improvements.
Data Source
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AI summary
Single-use authentication methods for accessing encrypted data stored on a protected volume of a computer are described, wherein access to the encrypted data involves decrypting a key protector stored on the computer that holds a volume-specific cryptographic key needed to decrypt the protected volume. Such single-use authentication methods rely on the provision of a key protector that can only be used once and/or that requires a new access credential for each use. In certain embodiments, a challenge-response process is also used as part of the authentication method to tie the issuance of a key protector and/or access credential to particular pieces of information that can uniquely identify a user.