Encryption on computing device

A network server comprising:

• a communication interface to communicatively couple the network server to a user computing device via a communication network;
• and
• processing hardware configured to:
• receive a request for a cryptographic key from the user computing device, wherein the request includes a first component of the cryptographic key, the first component having been specified by a user of the user computing device,
• in response to the request, automatically generate a second component of the cryptographic key, and
• provide the second component of the cryptographic key to the user device for storage on a storage device physically separate from the user computing device,
• wherein the user computing device is configured to (i) generate the cryptographic key based at least on the first component and the second component of the cryptographic key and (ii) encrypt and/or decrypt user-selected data using the cryptographic key.

A method in a user computing device for efficiently encrypting and/or decrypting data, the method comprising:

• receiving, by one or more processors, an indication that a storage device physically separate from the user computing device is now communicatively coupled to the user computing device via a short-range communication interface;
• receiving, by the one or more processors, a first component of a cryptographic key from a user via a user interface;
• retrieving, from the storage device, (i) a second component of the cryptographic key, (ii) first control data, and (iii) second control data corresponding to the first control data encrypted using a correct version of the cryptographic key;
• generating the cryptographic key based at least on the first component and the second component;
• and
• determining whether the generated cryptographic key is correct using the first control data and the second control data.