Method and apparatus for managing a key management system

1. A method for retrieving a value secured in a key management system comprising:

receiving a request for the value secured in the key management system;

retrieving a serialized file from a key management system storage;

de-serializing the serialized file producing a de-serialized file;

decoding an encoded key list in the de-serialized file to produce a decoded key list;

searching for a key corresponding to the value in the decoded key list;

inputting a key encryption key into the key management system;

hashing the key encryption key to produce a key encryption key hash, wherein the key encryption key hash is equal to a hashed key encryption key in the de-serialized file;

comparing the key encryption key hash to the hashed key encryption key in the de-serialized file to grant access to the key management system;

decrypting a secret token in the de-serialized file using the key encryption key to produce at least one tuple after access to the key management system is granted;

storing the at least one tuple in a data structure within the key management system; and

retrieving a tuple corresponding to the value from the at least one tuple, using the key corresponding to the value.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

searching a local file system, for the key when the key is not found in the decoded key list.

3. A method for changing an existing key encryption key, comprising:

entering the existing key encryption key;

entering a new key encryption key;

de-serializing a serialized file producing a de-serialized file;

hashing the existing key encryption key producing a hashed key encryption key, wherein the hashed key encryption key is equal to a key encryption key hash in the de-serialized file;

comparing the hashed key encryption key to the key encryption key hash in the de-serialized file to grant access to a key management system;

decrypting a secret token using the existing key encryption key to produce a tuple after access to the key management system is granted;

encrypting the tuple using the new key encryption key producing a new secret token;

hashing the new key encryption key producing a new hashed key encryption key; and

serializing the new hashed key encryption key and the new secret token to produce a new serialized file.

4. An apparatus for retrieving a value secured in a key management system comprising:

means for receiving a request for the value secured in the key management system;

means for retrieving a serialized file from a key management system storage;

means for de-serializing the serialized file producing a de-serialized file;

means for decoding an encoded key list in the de-serialized file to produce a decoded key list;

means for searching for a key corresponding to the value in the decoded key list;

means for inputting a key encryption key into the key management system;

means for hashing the key encryption key to produce a key encryption key hash, wherein the

key encryption key hash is equal to a hashed key encryption key in the de-serialized file;

means for comparing the key encryption key hash to the hashed key encryption key in the de-serialized file to grant access to the key management system;

means for decrypting a secret token in the de-serialized file using the key encryption key to produce at least one tuple after access to the key management system is granted;

means for storing the at least one tuple in a data structure within the key management system; and

means for retrieving a tuple corresponding to the value from the at least one tuple, using the key corresponding to the value.

5. An apparatus for changing an existing key encryption key, comprising:

means for entering the existing key encryption key;

means for entering a new key encryption key;

means for de-serializing a serialized file producing a de-serialized file;

means for hashing the existing key encryption key producing a hashed key encryption key,

wherein the hashed key encryption key is equal to a key encryption key hash in the de-serialized file;

means for comparing the hashed key encryption key to the key encryption key hash in the de-serialized file to grant access to a key management system;

means for decrypting a secret token using the existing key encryption key to produce a tuple after access to the key management system is granted;

means for encrypting the tuple using the new key encryption key producing a new secret token;

means for hashing the new key encryption key producing a new hashed key encryption key; and

means for serializing the new hashed key encryption key and the new secret token to produce a new serialized file.