Network centered recovery process for cryptographic processing modules
View Patent ↗A method is provided for re-initializing a cryptographic processing module ( 102 ) at a location designated as an unclassified environment. The method includes storing in a database ( 122 ) a module unique recovery vector ( 310, 510 ) assigned to a cryptographic processing module. The method also includes indexing the module unique recovery vector in the database using a unique module identifying code (for example, a serial number) assigned to the cryptographic processing module. The method further includes subsequently communicating the module unique recovery vector from the database, over a computer network ( 120 ), to a remote computing environment ( 400 ) that is unclassified. The module unique recovery vector is used to re-initialize the cryptographic processing module.
1. A method for re-initializing a cryptographic processing module, comprising:
generating recovery information, at said cryptographic processing module located in a classified environment, that includes a module unique recovery vector and module unique data;
communicating said module unique recovery vector from said classified environment, over a computer network, to an unclassified network database;
storing in said unclassified network database said module unique recovery vector defining first re-initialization data that is required for re-activating previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module at a future time and is functional only with one said cryptographic processing module for which it was uniquely generated;
indexing said module unique recovery vector in said unclassified network database using a unique module identifying code that identifies said cryptographic processing module;
relocating said cryptographic processing module from said classified environment to an unclassified environment;
subsequent to said relocation, communicating said module unique recovery vector from said unclassified network database, over said computer network, to said unclassified environment; and
using said module unique data and said module unique recovery vector provided from said unclassified network database to re-initialize said cryptographic processing module in said unclassified environment;
wherein said module unique data defines second re-initialization data that is required for re-activating said previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module and is unique to said cryptographic processing module.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating a new module unique recovery vector in said unclassified environment.
3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising generating said module unique recovery vector in a cryptographic initialization process exclusively responsive to receipt of at least one initialization vector.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising storing said module unique data in a storage device of said cryptographic processing module.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising encrypting said module unique recovery vector prior to said communicating step.
6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising querying said cryptographic processing module in said unclassified environment to obtain said unique module identifying code.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising communicating said unique module identifying code from said unclassified environment to a server associated with said unclassified network database.
8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising encrypting said unique module identifying code prior to communicating said unique module identifying code.
9. A method for re-initializing a cryptographic processing module, comprising:
generating recovery information, at said cryptographic processing module located in a classified environment, that includes a module unique recovery vector and module unique data;
communicating said module unique recovery vector from said classified environment, over a computer network, to an unclassified network database;
storing in said unclassified network database said module unique recovery vector defining first re-initialization data that is required for re-activating previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module at a future time and is functional only with one said cryptographic processing module for which it was uniquely generated;
querying said cryptographic processing module to obtain a unique module identifying code that is assigned only to said cryptographic processing module;
communicating said unique module identifying code to said unclassified network database;
indexing said module unique recovery vector in said unclassified network database using said unique module identifying code;
relocating said cryptographic processing module from said classified environment to an unclassified environment;
subsequent to said relocation, communicating said module unique recovery vector from said unclassified network database, over a computer network, to said unclassified environment; and
using module unique data and said module unique recovery vector provided from said unclassified network database to re-initialize said cryptographic processing module in said unclassified environment;
wherein said module unique data defines second re-initialization data that is required for re-activating said previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module and is unique to said cryptographic processing module.
10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising generating a new module unique recovery vector in said unclassified environment.
11. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising generating said module unique recovery vector in a cryptographic re-initialization process exclusively responsive to receipt of at least one initialization vector.
12. A method for re-initializing a cryptographic processing module, comprising:
generating recovery information, at said cryptographic processing module located in a classified environment, that includes a module unique recovery vector and module unique data;
communicating said module unique recovery vector from said classified environment, over a computer network, to an unclassified network database;
storing in said unclassified network database said module unique recovery vector defining first re-initialization data that is required for re-activating previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module at a future time and is functional only with one said cryptographic processing module for which it was uniquely generated;
querying said cryptographic processing module to obtain a unique module identifying code that is assigned only to said cryptographic processing module;
encrypting said unique module identifying code;
communicating said unique module identifying code from said cryptographic processing module, over a computer network, to said unclassified network database;
indexing said module unique recovery vector in said unclassified network database using said unique module identifying code;
encrypting said module unique recovery vector;
relocating said cryptographic processing module from said classified environment to an unclassified environment;
subsequent to said relocation, communicating said module unique recovery vector from said unclassified network database, over a computer network, to said unclassified environment; and
using said module unique data and said module unique recovery vector provided from said unclassified network database to re-initialize said cryptographic processing module in said unclassified environment;
wherein said module unique data defines second re-initialization data that is required for re-activating said previously deactivated information security functions of said cryptographic processing module and is unique to said cryptographic processing module.