Patent ID: 7688980

Claim:
A method of managing a cryptographic key, the method comprising: assigning, by a microprocessor-based key terminal, a cryptographic-key number to the cryptographic key; printing, from the microprocessor-based key terminal, a key form specifying the cryptographic key; recording, by the microprocessor-based key terminal on a storage device, an association between the cryptographic-key number and an electromagnetic tag identifier coupled physically with the key form; receiving, by the microprocessor-based key terminal, a first key component from a first key custodian; receiving, by the microprocessor-based key terminal, a second key component from a second key custodian; performing a key operation on the first and second key components to generate the cryptographic key; authenticating, by the microprocessor-based key terminal, the first key custodian by reading a first card presented by the first key custodian, receiving a first personal identification number input by the first key custodian, and verifying consistency of information read from the first card with the first personal identification number; authenticating, by the microprocessor-based key terminal, the second key custodian by reading a second card presented by the second key custodian, receiving a second personal identification number input by the second key custodian, and verifying consistency of information read from the second card with the second personal identification number; and authenticating, by the microprocessor-based key terminal, a key manager who authorized the key custodians by reading a key-manager card presented by the key manager, receiving a key-manager personal identification number input by the key manager, and verifying consistency of information read from the key-manager card with the key-manager personal identification number.