Patent ID: 7894607

Claim:
A system for selectively encrypting a data packet, the system comprising tangible storage media, the system further comprising: an encryption key stored on the media for use in encrypting the data packet; a verification data element stored on the media derived from the encryption key; an encryption engine stored on the media for selectively encrypting the data packet using the encryption key; and a verification engine stored on the media in electronic communication with the encryption engine, wherein the verification engine is configured to: receive the encryption key and the verification data element; determine when the verification data element corresponds to the encryption key as received by the verification engine; and prohibit encryption of the data packet by the encryption engine when the verification data element does not correspond to the encryption key as received by the verification engine; wherein the verification data element is derived from the encryption key using an algorithm; wherein the verification data element comprises an encryption tag generated using the algorithm and the algorithm is configured to obscure the encryption key during transmission from a key management controller to the encryption engine.