Smart Card Encryption Key and Password Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current encryption key and password management systems are vulnerable to offline attacks due to the use of weak keys and master passwords, which can be compromised if physical access is gained, and users often resort to insecure practices like writing down passwords for ease of use.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a smart card-based system that uses multi-factor authentication to generate and manage encryption keys and passwords, linking them to an X509 certificate's private key, and storing only seed material on the local system to prevent offline attacks, thus ensuring secure key and password management without storing sensitive information locally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encryption keys are protected by encrypting them with a master password, then the encryption keys can be securely stored, but the system becomes vulnerable to offline attacks where attackers can copy the key store and guess the master password
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a smart card as an intermediary device that securely stores the master password and private key. The smart card acts as a mediator between the user and the encryption key store, requiring physical possession and authentication to access decrypted keys. This prevents offline attacks because the master password never resides in plaintext on the compromised system, and attackers cannot copy the key store to perform offline guessing attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the security system into multiple components: the smart card contains the master password and private key, while the local system only stores encrypted key material. This segmentation ensures that even if the local system is compromised, attackers cannot obtain the master password or private key without physical access to the smart card, thereby preventing offline attacks.
2Ease of operation
If users write down passwords for easy management, then password accessibility is improved, but security is compromised as passwords can be misplaced or stolen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a password management system where the smart card automatically generates, stores, and manages passwords for multiple accounts. The system provides self-service functionality including password generation, storage, and retrieval without requiring users to manually write down or remember passwords. The smart card securely manages all credentials while providing easy access through a single master password, eliminating the need for physical password storage.
3Reliability
If strong random passwords are used, then account security is improved, but user memorability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The smart card-based system automatically generates strong random passwords for multiple accounts and manages them securely. Users don't need to remember these complex passwords as the system handles storage and retrieval automatically. The smart card stores all passwords encrypted, and users can retrieve them through authentication with the master password, thus maintaining both strong security and ease of use.
4Ease of operation
If a single master password is used to encrypt multiple passwords, then user convenience is improved, but the master password becomes a single point of attack
Solution Approach 1:
The smart card serves as a secure intermediary that protects the master password from exposure. The master password is stored only on the smart card in encrypted form, and the smart card's hardware security module prevents extraction or copying. This eliminates the single point of attack vulnerability because even if the local system is compromised, attackers cannot obtain the master password without physical access to and authentication of the smart card.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus can include a smart card based encryption key management system used to generate an encryption key using encryption key seed material, and an encryption key data store to store the encryption key seed material. An apparatus can include a smart card based password management system used to generate a password using password seed material, and a password data store to store the password seed material.