Patent ID: 6118872
Filing Date: 2000-09-12
Classification: G06F,G09C

Abstract:
A secret data management apparatus controlling a secret key so that the secret key is kept confidential, the secret data management apparatus comprising:an image display unit displaying an image on a display monitor, the displayed image having a matrix of image points arrayed in rows and columns on the display monitor;a position/sequence input unit inputting first positions of input image points, specified on the displayed image by an input device, and a sequence of the first positions, the first positions and the sequence thereof describing a password;an encryption unit generating encrypted data of the secret key based on the first positions and the sequence thereof inputted by the position/sequence input unit;a secret data storage unit storing the encrypted data of the secret key generated by the encryption unit, into a storage medium;an access allowance unit allowing access to the secret key stored in the storage medium when second positions of input image points on the image and a sequence of the second positions, subsequently specified by the input device at a time of the access, match with the first positions and the sequence thereof; anda decryption unit generating plain data of the secret key from the encrypted data stored in the storage medium when the access is allowed by the access allowance unit, the plain data indicating the password.