Patent ID: 8045713
Filing Date: 2011-10-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. Apparatus for managing key updates in a logical key hierarchy, comprising: a communication interface operable for receiving at a cache, records generated by a key-hierarchy manager for members using the logical key hierarchy, wherein the records include key updates comprising an encrypted key corresponding to a node of the logical key hierarchy and encrypted using a key that corresponds to a descendant of that node, hierarchy-node information for both the encrypted and encrypting keys and key-version information for at least the encrypted key; and a manager of the cache operable to consolidate the records into a key history tree, wherein the key history tree has the same structure as the logical key hierarchy, the manager storing at each node of the key history tree, for each encrypted key associated with the node, the most up-to-date version of the encrypted key and its version information with any earlier versions being discarded.