US 2009/0214040 A1Published application

Method and Apparatus for Protecting Encryption Keys in a Logically Partitioned Computer System Environment

AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation

InventorsMark R Funk, Jeffrey E. Remfert

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Abstract

In a logically partitioned computer system, a partition manager maintains and controls master encryption keys for the different partitions. Preferably, processes executing within a partition have no direct access to real memory, addresses in the partition's memory space being mapped to real memory by the partition manager. The partition manager maintains master keys at real memory addresses inaccessible to processes executing in the partitions. Preferably, a special hardware register stores a pointer to the current key, and is read only by a hardware crypto-engine to encrypt/decrypt data. The crypto-engine returns the encrypted/decrypted data, but does not output the key itself or its location.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A digital data processing system, comprising:

at least one processor;
a memory;
a logical partitioning facility which enforces logical partitioning of said computer system into a plurality of logical partitions, each logical partition for executing a respective set of tasks on behalf of respective one or more users, said logical partitioning facility maintaining a respective encryption key for each of a plurality of said logical partitions inaccessible to tasks executing in the respective logical partition;
and
a data transformation facility shared by multiple said logical partitions which performs data transformations on behalf of at least some said tasks executing in respective said logical partitions, each data transformation on behalf of a respective task being performed by accessing a respective encryption key for the partition in which the respective task is executing and using the encryption key to perform the data transformation, said data transformation facility providing data transformation results to the respective task without providing said respective encryption key to the respective task.

2 more elements

A method for operating a computer system, comprising the computer-executed steps of:

allocating resources of said computer system to a plurality of logical partitions and executing in each said logical partition a plurality of tasks on behalf of respective one or more users;
maintaining in said computer system a respective encryption key for each said logical partition, said encryption keys being inaccessible to tasks executing in any said logical partition;
performing data transformations on behalf of at least some said tasks executing in respective said logical partitions, each said data transformation comprising one of the set consisting of:
(a) an encryption of data;
(b) a decryption of data, and (c) a digital signature of data, each data transformation on behalf of a respective task being performed using the respective encryption key for the partition in which the respective task is executing;
and
providing results of said step of performing data transformations to the respective said task executing in the respective logical partition without providing said respective encryption key to the respective task.

4 more elements

A computer program product for enforcing logical partitioning of a computer system, comprising:

a plurality of processor-executable instructions recorded on a computer-readable media, including:
at least one resource allocation function which allocates resources of said computer system among plurality of logical partitions, each said logical partition containing a respective plurality of tasks executing on behalf of respective one or more respective users;
an encryption key maintenance function which maintains a respective encryption key for each said logical partition, said encryption keys being inaccessible to tasks executing in any said logical partition, said encryption key maintenance function providing respective encryption keys for use in performing data transformations on behalf of at least some said tasks executing in respective said logical partitions, each data transformation on behalf of a respective task being performed using the respective master encryption key for the partition in which the respective task is executing, each said data transformation being performed without providing the respective encryption key to the respective task.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.