Patent ID: 8068612

Claim:
A method for supporting identity-based-encryption (IBE) operations in a system in which an IBE private key is provided from an IBE private key server over a communications network to a security device of a user having storage and processing circuitry in a tamper-proof enclosure, comprising: storing authentication information in the circuitry on the security device in the tamper-proof enclosure; using the security device and stored authentication information to request the IBE private key from the IBE private key server over the communications network, wherein using the security device and stored authentication information to request the IBE private key comprises: digitally signing at least an identity (ID) of the user at the security device, and sending the digitally-signed ID to the IBE private key server as part of the IBE private key request; verifying the authentication information to determine whether to satisfy the IBE private key request; if the authentication information is valid, sending the IBE private key to the security device from the IBE private key server over the communications network; at the security device, storing the IBE private key in the circuitry in the tamper-proof enclosure; and at the IBE private key server, using a public key of the user to encrypt the IBE private key before sending the IBE private key to the security device over the communications network.