Patent ID: 8295490

Claim:
A method for providing an encryption key to a user, the method comprising: receiving, at an encryption key server, from a client machine, a request for an encryption key for a component of user data for a user, wherein the encryption key is one of a plurality of encryption keys for components of user data for the user; authenticating the user; determining, in response to the authenticating of the user, whether the encryption key for the component of user data is stored on the encryption key server; generating, if the encryption key for the component of user data is not stored on the encryption key server, the encryption key for the component of user data, wherein the encryption key is configured to be used with the component of user data and a data storage server which is different than the encryption key server; and transmitting the encryption key for the component of user data to the client machine; wherein the encryption key server includes an authentication module for authenticating the user, a key generation module for generating the encryption key, a key storage module for storing the encryption key and an interface module for receiving the request for the encryption key from the client machine associated with the user.