Patent ID: 7412061

Claim:
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for producing a key (KD) for decrypting a digital object, the digital object having been encrypted by: selecting a key ID for the digital object; selecting a function ƒ( ) having an input and an output; employing the selected key ID as the input to the function ƒ( ); employing the output of such function ƒ( ) as the key (KD) for the digital object: ƒ(key ID) key (KD), encrypting such digital object according to such key (KD); and distributing such encrypted digital object, along with the key ID, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for: receiving a request for the key (KD) from a requestor, the request including the key ID; approving the request; employing the included key ID as the input to the function ƒ( ); employing the output of such function ƒ( ) as the requested key (KD): ƒ(key ID) key (KD); and distributing such key (KD) to the requestor.