Patent ID: 9088551
Filing Date: 2015-07-21
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for securely managing multiple keys on a computer system, each key being used to access one or a plurality of computing resources and including a plurality of key fields, said method comprising the steps of: storing the multiple keys in a key file comprised of a key table, the key table including a multitude of entries, each of the entries corresponding to a respective one of the keys, each of the entries in the key table including a plurality of key fields, each of the key fields of the entry having a name and a value stored in said each key field of the entry, and each of the entries including all of the fields needed to use the key, to which said each entry corresponds, to access one of the computing resources; displaying on a display screen of the computer system a plurality of input fields for receiving the key fields of one of the keys needed to access one of the computing resources; receiving a command from a user to access the key file; displaying the key file simultaneous together with said plurality of input fields on the display screen of the computer system, including displaying a list of all of the keys in the key file; the user selecting one of the keys in the key file, said one of the keys being used to access said one of the computing resources; the user interacting with the display of the listing of said selected key and the simultaneous display of the plurality of input fields, using a graphical user interface including a pointing device, to pass the value of each of the key fields of said selected key, one value at a time, from the key table to said input fields including entering the value for each of the key fields into the input field identified on the display screen with the name of said each key field; and giving the user access to the one of the computing resources when the values of all the key fields of the selected key have been passed to the input fields; and wherein: each of the key fields includes a plurality of sub-fields; the storing the multiple keys in the key file includes: storing the name of each of the key fields in a first of the sub-fields of the each key field, storing the value of the each key field in a second of the sub-fields of the each key field, and storing an indicator in a third of the sub-fields of the each key field to indicate that the value held in the second of the sub-fields of the each key field cannot be passed to specified ones of the input fields; and the user interacting with the display further includes: using a movable and adjustable pointer for pointing to the input fields, said pointer including an icon showing the number of the input fields that need to be filled, and dynamically adjusting said icon after each of the input fields is filled with one of the key values to show how many remaining key values need to be passed to the input fields.