Virtualization of cryptographic keys
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorPhil C. Yeh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryptographic key is virtualized to provide a virtual cryptographic key. To virtualize the key, an operation, such as an exclusive OR operation, is used with the key and a mask. The virtual key is usable by a guest of a virtual environment in cryptographic operations.
Claims20
A computer program product for virtualizing cryptographic keys in a virtual computing environment having a hierarchy comprising a host and one or more layers of guests, wherein a layer corresponds to a virtualization level, the computer program product comprising:
- a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising:
- obtaining, by a processor, a cryptographic key;
- and
- generating a virtual cryptographic key using an operation, the cryptographic key and a mask, wherein the mask used is determined based at least partially on the virtualization level of a guest for which the virtual cryptographic key is being generated.
A computer system for virtualizing cryptographic keys in a virtual computing environment having a hierarchy comprising a host and one or more layers of guests, wherein a layer corresponds to a virtualization level, the computer system comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- a processor in communications with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, said method comprising:
- obtaining a cryptographic key;
- and
- generating a virtual cryptographic key using an operation, the cryptographic key and a mask, wherein the mask used is determined based at least partially on the virtualization level of a guest for which the virtual cryptographic key is being generated.
A method of virtualizing cryptographic keys in a virtual computing environment having a hierarchy comprising a host and one or more layers of guests, wherein a layer corresponds to a virtualization level, said method comprising:
- obtaining, by a processor, a cryptographic key;
- and
- generating, by the processor, a virtual cryptographic key using an operation, the cryptographic key and a mask, wherein the mask used is determined based at least partially on the virtualization level of a guest for which the virtual cryptographic key is being generated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.