Patent ID: 8588421

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving, in a computer system comprising a processor, a request to access a cryptographic key; the processor communicating with an application programming interface to automatically conduct a search, without requiring user interaction, for a USB compatible storage device having a first cryptographic key stored thereon in a key container, the searching comprising the processor searching an index of USB compatible storage devices to search for the key container; if the USB compatible storage device is found, fetching, via a protected cryptographic process, the first cryptographic key from the USB compatible storage device, the protected cryptographic process preventing any user application executed by an operating system on the computer system, from directly accessing the cryptographic key; and if the USB compatible storage device is not found: rendering a prompt to provide the USB compatible storage device; determining if the USB compatible storage device has been provided; if the USB compatible storage device has been provided, accessing the first cryptographic key on the USB compatible storage device via the protected cryptographic process which prevents any user application executed by an operating system on the computer system from directly accessing the cryptographic key; and if the USB compatible storage device has not been provided, accessing a second cryptographic key stored in a memory of the computer system.