The United States of America

Thomas H Monroe

Boyd Thomas Livingston

J William Pendergrass

Tad P White

Michael A Wertheimer

Benjamin M Bielefeld

A key escrow encryption method, where two users each have secret encryption keys and corresponding public encryption keys. One user receives the public encryption keys of the other user and generates a first datum based on them, an identifier of the other user, the secret encryption keys and identifier of the user, and an access restriction. The user generates a second datum based on the first datum and another access restriction. The user generates a key based on the first and second datums. The user encrypts a message using the key and sends it to the other user. Key escrow is included by requiring each user to distribute its secret encryption keys among escrow agents. The escrow agents transform, sign, and transmit it to a certifying authority. The certifying authority signs and publishes it as user's public key certificate. To communicate, a user retrieves the certificate of the other user, forms a key, encrypts a message, and transmits it to the other user. The other user retrieves the certificate of the user, forms the key, and decrypts the message. A key encryption key scheme may be used. A third party may intercept the message, receive authorization, receive portions of the key from the escrow agents, recover the key, and recover the message. A data recovery scheme may be used.

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Columbia, MD, United States of America

Thomas H Monroe