Decentralized Cryptography

A method for storing and retrieving an encrypted cryptographic key subject to limited access conditions comprising:

• storing an encrypted cryptographic key, wherein storing comprises:
• generating a symmetric key,
• encrypting the symmetric key with a network public key,
• hashing the encrypted symmetric key,
• hashing access control conditions data;
• establishing secure communication channel with a secure enclave inside a node in the network;
• communicating to nodes that hashed access control conditions data is associated with hashed encrypted symmetric key;
• and,
• storing the hashed access control conditions data associated with the hashed encrypted symmetric key with an index on the hashed encrypted symmetric key;
• retrieving the encrypted cryptographic key, wherein retrieving comprises:
• establishing secure communication channel with a secure enclave inside a node in the network;
• presenting encrypted symmetric key and a timestamped signature proving control of blockchain address to nodes in a subnet storing the cryptographic key;
• hashing the encrypted symmetric key;
• verifying timestamped signature;
• confirming network address satisfies access control condition;
• decrypting encrypted symmetric key with key share;
• returning decrypted share of symmetric key;
• combining decryption shares to produce symmetric key;
• and,
• decrypting encrypted cryptographic data with symmetric key.

A computing system for cryptography and encryption comprising:

• a computing node comprising memory and a processor,
• a component configured to accesses a network of decentralized nodes;
• a component configured to receive a request from the network to create a share of a private network key;
• a component configured to create a share of a private network key in response to the request, wherein another node on the network has another share of the private network key;
• a component configured to receive a request from the network to use the private network key share;
• a component configured to perform an operation with the private network key share, wherein the operation produces a result;
• and,
• a component configured to provide the result of the operation performed with the private network key share to the network.