Patent ID: 8375437

Claim:
A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for utilizing a hardware-based security module to provide hardware-based protection to processes executing within a virtual computing environment being hosted by a computing device comprising the hardware-based security module, the computer-executable instructions performing steps comprising: generating a representation of a cryptographic service within the virtual computing environment; enumerating, to the processes executing within the virtual computing environment, via the representation of the cryptographic service, one or more keys; providing, to the hardware-based security module, at least one of the enumerated keys for protection by keys specific to the hardware-based security module; receiving, from the processes executing within the virtual computing environment, via the representation of the cryptographic service: a protected version of a key required by the processes to access protected data within the virtual computing environment; and an identification of a selected key, from among the enumerated keys, with which the protected key was protected; locating a protected version of the identified selected key; providing, to the hardware-based security module, the protected version of the key required by the processes executing within the virtual computing environment and the protected version of the identified selected key; receiving, from the hardware-based security module, the key required by the processes executing within the virtual computing environment; and providing, to the processes executing within the virtual computing environment, via the representation of the cryptographic service, the key required by the processes executing within the virtual computing environment.