Joseph P Rusnak

US Patent:

8307098, Nov 6, 2012

Filed:

Aug 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/651548

Inventors:

Barry Atkins - Raleigh NC, US
David Carroll Challener - Raleigh NC, US
Frank Novak - Raleigh NC, US
Joseph Gary Rusnak - Durham NC, US
Kenneth D. Timmons - Raleigh NC, US
William W. Vetter - Raleigh NC, US

Assignee:

Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. - Singapore

International Classification:

G06F 15/16

US Classification:

709229, 380273, 380277, 713167, 713183

Abstract:

A system, method, and program for managing a user key used to sign a message for a data processing system having an encryption chip are disclosed. A user is assigned a user key. In order to encrypt and send messages to a recipient(s), the messages are encrypted with the user key. The user key, in turn, is encrypted with an associated key. The associated key is further encrypted using an encryption chip key stored on the encryption chip. The encrypted messages are communicated to a recipient to validate an association of the user with the encrypted messages. The associated key is decrypted with the encryption chip key. The user key is decrypted with the associated key, and the messages are decrypted with the user key. Thereafter, validation of the association of messages with the user is removed by revoking the associated key. In a preferred embodiment, encryption resources are centralized in a server system having the encryption chip.