초록 ▼

The invention provides central storage for core data secrets, referred to as data items. The data items are encrypted by a client computer using a client key that is derived from a logon secret, such as a password, supplied by a user during a network logon procedure. The client key is escrowed with

The invention provides central storage for core data secrets, referred to as data items. The data items are encrypted by a client computer using a client key that is derived from a logon secret, such as a password, supplied by a user during a network logon procedure. The client key is escrowed with the participation of a network supervisory computer such as a domain controller. The client sends the client key to the domain controller. The domain controller appends a user identification corresponding to the currently authenticated user of the client computer, and encrypts the resulting combination. The encrypted combination is sent back to and stored locally by the client. To recover the client key, the encrypted combination is sent to the domain controller, which decrypts the combination to obtain the data item. However, the data item is returned to the client computer only if the decrypted user identification corresponds to the currently authenticated user of the client computer.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of securely storing and recovering data protection keys, comprising the following steps:deriving a client key from a user secret that is supplied by a user during network logon procedures;securing user data on a client computer with the client key;sending the client key to

[ We claim:] [1.] A method of securely storing and recovering data protection keys, comprising the following steps:deriving a client key from a user secret that is supplied by a user during network logon procedures;securing user data on a client computer with the client key;sending the client key to a network supervisory computer that authenticates network users during user logon procedures;encrypting a data combination at the network supervisory computer, the data combination including the client key and a user identification corresponding to a currently authenticated current user of the client computer;returning the encrypted data combination to the client computer;storing the encrypted data combination at the client computer;sending the encrypted data combination to the network supervisory computer in order to recover the client key;decrypting the data combination at the network supervisory computer to obtain the client key and the user identification in response to receiving the encrypted data combination from the client computer;returning the client key to the client computer only if the obtained user identification corresponds to the currently authenticated user of the client computer.