Method and apparatus for managing keys used for encrypting data

A data processing system comprising:

• a bus;
• a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains program code;
• and
• a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit is configured to run the program code to determine whether a first time stamp of when cryptographic information was created is more recent than a second time stamp of a backup of the cryptographic information in response to receiving a request for the cryptographic information from a requester, wherein the cryptographic information is used to encrypt data;
• and prevent the cryptographic information from being provided to the requester in response to a determination that the first time stamp of cryptographic information creation is more recent than the second time stamp of the backup of the cryptographic information.

A computer program product for managing cryptographic information, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium;
• and
• program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for determining whether a first time stamp of when cryptographic information was created is more recent than a second time stamp of a backup of the cryptographic information in response to receiving a request for the cryptographic information from a requester, wherein the cryptographic information is used to encrypt data;
• and
• program code, stored on the computer readable storage medium, for preventing the cryptographic information from being provided to the requester in response to a determination that the first time stamp of cryptographic information creation is more recent than the second time stamp of the backup of the cryptographic information.