Patent ID: 6052469
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of providing, in a manner verifiable by a possessor of a cryptographic key, for the recovery of said key using a plurality of cooperating key recovery agents, comprising the steps of:receiving a plurality of shared key recovery values from which said key may be recovered, said key being recoverable from said plurality of shared key recovery values collectively by combining them to recover said key but not being recoverable from any single shared key recovery value individually, said key recovery values being generated as a function only of said key and public information and being encrypted under respective keys of said key recovery agents to generate encrypted recovery values;generating said shared key recovery values from said cryptographic key and said public information;encrypting said generated shared key recovery values under said encryption keys of said key recovery agents to generate comparison encrypted recovery values; andcomparing said received encrypted recovery values with said comparison encrypted recovery values to verify said received encrypted recovery values.