System and method for implementing cryptography in a storage system

1. A method for performing cryptography operations on data blocks within a volume of data of a storage system, the method comprising:

implementing a write operation from a client to a server over a network connection that involves:

generating a client-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage;

generating a client-side user key which is derived by processing a client-side user password component known only to a client-side user, and which is stored by the client-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a client-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the client-side user;

generating an client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a client-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the client-side volume master key with the client-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the client-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the client-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side user volume key associated with the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the client-side user volume key with the client-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received client-side user key and the client side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the client-side volume master key; and

encrypting the data blocks using the recovered client-side volume master key;

transmitting the encrypted data blocks from the client to the server;

generating a server-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage, wherein the client-side volume master key is different from the server-side volume master key;

generating a server-side user key which is derived by processing a server-side user password component known only to a server-side user, and which is stored by the server-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a server-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the server-side user;

generating a server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a server-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the server-side volume master key with the server-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the server-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the server-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side user volume key associated with the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the server-side user volume key with the server-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the server-side volume master key; and

encrypting the encrypted data blocks using the recovered server-side volume master key to generate double-encrypted data blocks;

writing the double-encrypted data blocks to memory at the server.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising;

generating multiple user volume keys linked to a single volume master key for a specific volume, wherein each user volume key of the user volume keys is generated by encrypting the volume master key with a user-specific intermediate key, and storing the generated user volume keys at the storage system in non-transient storage such that the user volume keys are not known to users.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the client-side user volume key from the non-transient storage in which the client-side user volume key is stored to prevent computation of the client-side volume master key for the client-side user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the client-side volume initialization vector for a specific volume from the non-transient storage in which the client-side volume initialization vector is stored to prevent computation of the client-side volume master key for all users.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing a read operation from the server to the client over the network connection that involves:

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the server-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side user volume key associated with the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the server-side user volume key with the server-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the server-side volume master key; and

reading the double-encrypted data blocks from a memory of the server;

decrypting the double-encrypted data blocks using the recovered server-side volume master key to generate the encrypted data blocks;

transmitting the encrypted data blocks to the client over the network connection;

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the client-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side user volume key associated with the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the client-side user volume key with the client-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received client-side user key and the client side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the client side volume master key; and

decrypting the encrypted data blocks using the recovered client-side volume master key;

providing the decrypted data blocks to the client.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer executable code, which when executed by one or more processors, implements a method for provisioning a volume of data of a storage system, the method comprising:

implementing a write operation from a client to a server over network connection that involves;

generating a client-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage;

generating a client-side user key which is derived by processing a client-side user password component known only to a client-side user, and which is stored by the client-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a client-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the client-side user;

generating at client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a client-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the client-side volume master key with the client-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the client-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the client-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side user volume key associated with the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the client-side user volume key with the client-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the client-side volume master key; and

encrypting data blocks using the recovered client-side volume master key;

transmitting the encrypted data blocks from the client to the server;

generating a server-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage, wherein the client-side volume master key is different from the server-side volume master key;

generating a server-side user key which is derived by processing a server-side user password component known only to a server-side user, and which is stored by the server-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a server-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the server-side user;

generating a server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a server-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the server-side volume master key with the server-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the server-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the server-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side user volume key associated with the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the server-side user volume key with the server-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the server-side volume master key; and

encrypting the encrypted data blocks using the recovered server-side volume master key to generate double-encrypted data blocks;

writing the double-encrypted data blocks to memory at the server.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 further comprising:

generating multiple user volume keys linked to a single volume master key for a specific volume, wherein each user volume key of the user volume keys is generated by encrypting the volume master key with a user-specified intermediate key, and storing the generated user volume keys at the storage system in non-transient storage such that the user volume keys are not known to users.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 further comprising removing the client-side user volume key from the non-transient storage in which the client-side user volume key is stored to prevent computation of the client-side volume master key for the client-side user.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 further comprising removing the client-side volume initialization vector for a specific volume from the non-transient storage in which the client-side volume initialization vector is stored to prevent computation of the client-side volume master key for all users.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 further comprising:

implementing a read operation from the server to the client over the network connection that involves:

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the server-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side user volume key associated with the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the server-side user volume key with the server-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the server-side volume master key; and

reading the double-encrypted data blocks from a memory of the server;

decrypting the double-encrypted data blocks using the recovered server-side volume master key to generate the encrypted data blocks;

transmitting the encrypted data blocks to the client over the network connection;

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the client-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side user volume key associated with the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the client-side user volume key with the client-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received client-side user key and the client side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the client-side volume master key; and

decrypting the encrypted data blocks using the recovered client-side volume master key;

providing the decrypted data blocks to the client.

11. A method for performing cryptography operations on data blocks within a volume of data of a storage system, the method comprising:

implementing a read operation from a server to a client over a network connection that involves:

generating a server-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage;

generating a server-side user key which is derived by processing a server-side user password component known only to a server-side user, and which is stored by the server-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a server-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the server-side user;

generating a server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a server-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the server-side volume master key with the server-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the server-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the server-side volume master key that involves:

receiving the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side user volume key associated with the server-side user key;

retrieving the server-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the server-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the server-side user volume key with the server-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received server-side user key and the server-side volume initialization vector to recover the server-side volume master key; and

reading double-encrypted data blocks from a memory of the server;

decrypting the double-encrypted data blocks using the server-side volume master key to generate encrypted data blocks;

transmitting the encrypted data blocks to the client over the network connection;

generating a client-side volume master key which is composed of random data and is stored in transient storage, wherein the client-side volume master key is different from the server-side volume master key;

generating a client-side user key which is derived by processing a client-side user password component known only to a client-side user, and which is stored by the client-side user in non-transient storage;

generating a client-side volume initialization vector which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and not known to the client-side user;

generating a client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector which is supplied by the storage system;

generating a client-side user volume key, specific to the volume of data, which is generated by encrypting the client-side volume master key with the client-side intermediate key, and which is stored at the storage system in non-transient storage and is not known to the client-side user; and

performing a volume master key recovery operation to recover the client-side volume master key that involve:

receiving the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side user volume key associated with the client-side user key;

retrieving the client-side volume initialization vector for the volume of data;

generating the client-side intermediate key which is derived by combining the received client-side user key and the client-side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data;

decrypting the client-side user volume key with the client-side intermediate key that was generated by combining the received client-side user key and the client side volume initialization vector that was retrieved for the volume of data to recover the client-side volume master key; and

decrypting the encrypted data blocks using the recovered client-side volume master key;

providing the decrypted data blocks to the client.