System and method for controlling access to a user secret

摘要

A system and method for data escrow cryptography are described. An encrypting user encrypts a message using a secret storage key (KS) and attaches a data recovery field (DRF), including an access rule index (ARI) and KS, to the encrypted message. The DRF and the encrypted message are stored in a storage device. To recover KS, a decrypting user extracts and sends the DRF to a data recovery center (DRC) that issues a challenge based on access rules (ARs) originally defined by the encrypting user. If the decrypting user meets the challenge, the DRC sends KS in a message to the decrypting user. Generally, KS need not be an encryption key but could represent any piece of confidential information that can fit inside the DRF. In all cases, the DRC limits access to decrypting users who can meet the challenge defined in either the ARs defined by the encrypting user or the ARs defined for override access.