Access to restricted information can be controlled such that unauthorized entities are unable to access or otherwise interpret the restricted information. In some instances, one or more of the underlying information and/or communications for accessing such information can be protected through the use of other means, referred to generally as keys. Through applicant of such techniques, an unauthorized entity having access to protected information without also having the proper key finds the protected information to be unintelligible. An entity, however, such as a person or process, having a proper key can apply the key to obtain or otherwise interpret the protected information.
At least one technique for protecting information is to apply a cipher operation to the information resulting in an unintelligible cipher text version of the underlying information. A cryptographic key, however, can be applied algorithmically to the cipher text version to retrieve an intelligible version of the information. It is evident that control of access to such a key is critical for preventing access by an unauthorized entity to the information.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds