Separate cryptographic keys for protecting different operations on data

A system for processing data, comprising:

• a write-management apparatus configured to:
• use a first key to protect a write operation on the data by encrypting the data with a data key and generating a signature associated with the data with the first key;
• and
• use a third key to protect a write operation on metadata for the data by encrypting the metadata with a metadata key and generating a signature associated with the metadata with the third key;
• and
• a read-management apparatus configured to:
• use a second key to protect a read operation on the data by decrypting the data with the data key and verifying the signature associated with the data with the second key;
• use a fourth key to protect a read operation on the metadata by decrypting the metadata with the metadata key and verifying the signature associated with the metadata with the fourth key;
• wherein using the first key to protect the write operation further involves:
• a determination of an amount of padding via a modulo operation performed on a length of the data with a block size used to encrypt the data and a subtraction of a result of the modulo operation from the block size;
• and
• the determined amount of padding being appended to the encrypted data;
• wherein the write operation is protected prior to the write operation being performed with a remote storage mechanism;
• and
• wherein the read operation is protected after the read operation is performed with the remote storage mechanism.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for processing data, the method comprising:

• using a first key to protect a write operation on the data by encrypting the data with a data key and generating a signature associated with the data with the first key;
• and
• using a second key to protect a read operation on the data by decrypting the data with the data key and verifying the signature associated with the data with the second key;
• using a third key to protect a write operation on metadata for the data by encrypting the metadata with a metadata key and generating a signature associated with the metadata with the third key;
• and
• using a fourth key to protect a read operation on the metadata by decrypting the metadata with the metadata key and verifying the signature associated with the metadata with the fourth key;
• wherein using the first key to protect the write operation further involves:
• determining an amount of padding by performing a modulo operation on a length of the data with a block size used to encrypt the data and subtracting a result of the modulo operation from the block size;
• and
• appending the determined amount of padding to the encrypted data;
• wherein the write operation is protected prior to performing the write operation with a remote storage mechanism;
• and
• wherein the read operation is protected after performing the read operation with the remote storage mechanism.