Efficient key derivation for end-to-end network security with traffic visibility

摘要

Both end-to-end security and traffic visibility may be achieved by a system using a controller that derives a cryptographic key that is different for each client based on a derivation key and a client identifier that is conveyed in each data packet. The controller distributes the derivation key to information technology monitoring devices and a server to provide traffic visibility. For large key sizes, the key may be derived using a derivation formula as follows:
client_key_MSB=AES128(base_key_1,client_ID),  (1)client_key_LSB=AES128(base_key_2,client_ID+pad),and  (2)
client_key=client_key_MSB∥client_key_LSB, where (1) and (2) are executed in parallel. The client key and a client identifier may be used so that end-to-end security may be achieved.

主权项

1. A system comprising:
a cryptographic engine configured to derive a cryptographic client session key, client_key, for each of a plurality of clients using a derivation as follows:
client_key =client_key_MSB ∥client_key_LSB,where client_key_MSB is an n-bit output of a cryptographic operation using as inputs an n-bit first base key and a client ID, andclient_key_LSB is an n-bit output of the cryptographic operation using as inputs an n-bit second base key, the client ID, and a pad,wherein the generation of client_key_MSB and the generation of client_key_LSB are executed in parallel; and a medium access control (MAC) processing unit coupled to the cryptographic engine, wherein the first and second base keys comprise derivation keys provided by a domain controller, the pad is one of a null value, a value of a counter, and a prescribed string, and ∥is a concatenation operation.