Hierarchical key management based on bitwise xor operations

Abstract

A computer-implemented method manages cryptographic objects in a hierarchical key management system including a hardware security module (HSM), which institutes a key hierarchy extending from a ground level l. Clients interact with the HSM to obtain cryptographic objects. A request is received from one of the clients for an object at a given level lof the hierarchy (above the ground level l). A binary representation of the object is accessed as a primary bit pattern p, at the HSM and said pattern is scrambled via a bitwise XOR operation. The latter operates, on the one hand, on the primary bit pattern pand, on the other hand, on a control bit pattern pthat is a binary representation of an access code of the same length as said primary bit pattern p. The pattern pis obtained based on that given level lof the hierarchy.