The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 04, 2001
Filed:
Jan. 03, 2000
Patrick A. Lyson, Nepean, CA;
Ron J. Vandergeest, Kanata, CA;
Entrust Technologies Limited, Ontario, CA;
Abstract
A method and apparatus for securing and accessing data elements within a database is accomplished by securing a symmetric key based on an encryption public key. This may be done for the entire database or portions thereof. Once a symmetric key is secured, the computing system may receive a data element for storage in a database. When a data element is received, the computing device retrieves the secured symmetric key and then decrypts it based on a decryption private key. Having decrypted the secured symmetric key, the recaptured symmetric key is used to secure the data element. The securing is done utilizing an encryption algorithm and the symmetric key. Once the data element has been secured, it is stored in the database. To retrieve a secured data element from the database, a request for access must be received. Once a request is received, the computing device retrieves a secured data element in response to the request. The secured data element has been secured based on a secured symmetric key wherein the secured symmetric key was secured based on an encryption public key associated with the requesting entity. Having retrieved the secured data element, the secured symmetric key is retrieved and decrypted based on a decryption private key. The recaptured symmetric key is used in conjunction with a decryption algorithm, such as DES, to decrypt the data. The recaptured data is then provided to the requesting entity.