Distributed cryptographic methods and arrangements
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsMichael Howard, Jason Garms
Life of this patent
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Abstract
First and second computing devices are selectively operatively coupled together. The first device provides data to the second device. The second device can be a portable computing device. The second device is configured to encrypt/decrypt the data, as needed by the first device. The second device maintains the cryptographic key data internally. As such, the first device, which, for example, may be a personal computer will only maintain the returned encrypted data following encryption and only temporarily use any returned decrypted data. Thus, by physically and operatively distributing the cryptographic processing/maintenance between the two devices, additional security is provided for protecting private data.
Claims43
A method comprising:
- causing a first device to provide data to a second device;
- and
- causing the second device to cryptographically modify the data and
- provide the resulting cryptographically modified data to the first device.
A system comprising:
- a first device;
- and
- a second device operatively coupled to the first device, and wherein the first device is configured to output data to the second device and the second device is configured to cryptographically modify the data and output the resulting cryptographically modified data to the first device.
An apparatus comprising:
- memory;
- and
- logic operatively coupled to the memory and configurable to receive data from an external source, cryptographically modify the data using at least one internally generated cryptographic key, output the resulting cryptographically modified data without outputting the internally generated cryptographic key.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.