Encryption key removal tool
AssigneeVMware, Inc.
InventorsKeith Robertson, Sagar Date
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for removing unused encryption key files from a computing device. In an example, a key removal tool can identify three sets of keys to preserve. For the first set, the key removal tool can append a device identifier to known key names and add the resulting key file names to a whitelist. For the second set, the key removal tool can identify keys associated with certificates on the computing device and add their corresponding file names to the whitelist. The third set can correspond to keys created after a cutoff timestamp. The key removal tool can delete all key files with key file names not on the whitelist that were created before the cutoff timestamp.
Claims20
A method for removing unused encryption key files from a computing device, comprising:
- creating a first set of encryption key file names by appending a device identifier of the computing device to each of a plurality of known encryption key names;
- adding the encryption key file names in the first set to a whitelist;
- creating a second set of encryption key file names that includes encryption keys associated with certificates on the computing device;
- adding the encryption key files names in the second set to the whitelist;
- comparing, to the whitelist, a name of each encryption key file of a set in a designated folder of the computing device;
- comparing a creation date of each encryption key file in the designated folder to a cutoff timestamp;
- and
- removing all encryption key files in the designated folder created before the cutoff timestamp have a name not on the whitelist.
A non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions that are executed by a hardware-based processor to perform stages for removing unused encryption key files from a computing device, the stages comprising:
- creating a first set of encryption key file names by appending a device identifier of the computing device to each of a plurality of known encryption key names;
- adding the encryption key file names in the first set to a whitelist;
- creating a second set of encryption key file names that includes encryption keys associated with certificates on the computing device;
- adding the encryption key files names in the second set to the whitelist;
- comparing a name of each encryption key file in a designated folder of the computing device to the whitelist;
- comparing a creation date of each encryption key file in the designated folder to a cutoff timestamp;
- and
- removing all encryption key files in the designated folder created before the cutoff timestamp have a name not on the whitelist.
A system for removing unused encryption key files from a computing device, comprising:
- a memory storage including a non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions;
- and
- a computing device including a hardware-based processor that executes the instructions to carry out stages comprising:
- creating a first set of encryption key file names by appending a device identifier of the computing device to each of a plurality of known encryption key names;
- adding the encryption key file names in the first set to a whitelist;
- creating a second set of encryption key file names that includes encryption keys associated with certificates on the computing device;
- adding the encryption key files names in the second set to the whitelist;
- comparing a name of each encryption key file in a designated folder of the computing device to the whitelist;
- comparing a creation date of each encryption key file in the designated folder to a cutoff timestamp;
- and
- removing all encryption key files in the designated folder created before the cutoff timestamp have a name not on the whitelist.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.