Method and system for secure storage, transmission and control of cryptographic keys

A cryptographic system, comprising:

• a computer system;
• and
• a security module coupled to the computer system and configured to:
• generate an encrypted key field by applying an encryption algorithm to at least one clear key;
• append a control field to the encrypted key field, wherein the control field contains attributes of the at least one clear key;
• apply a hash algorithm across a concatenation of the control field, the encrypted key field, and a first variant of a key-encrypting key to create a hash field that ties the control field to the at least one clear key;
• append the hash field to the control field and the encrypted key field in a secure key block;
• and
• send the secure key block to the computer system for validating the secure key block at the computer system.

A method for encapsulating and controlling at least one clear key in a secure key block, comprising:

• applying, by a cryptographic system, a hash algorithm across a concatenation of a control field, the at least one clear key, an encrypted version of the at least one clear key, and a particular variant of a key-encrypting key to create a hash field that ties the control field to the at least one clear key;
• generating, by the cryptographic system, an encrypted field by applying an encryption algorithm to the at least one clear key;
• appending, by the cryptographic system, a control field in a secure key block to the encrypted field, wherein the control field contains attributes of the at least one clear key;
• and
• transmitting the secure key block to a receiving device for validating the secure key block at the receiving device.