Intelligent Management of the Cryptographic Keys

• Published in: International journal of computers, communications & control communications & control, 2011-03, Vol.6 (1), p.150
• Main Authors: Moise, Gabriela, Cangea, Otilia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Computers; Cryptography; Emergency preparedness; Encryption; Intelligent agents; Interoperability; Management systems; Security; Security systems; Standardization
• ISSN: 1841-9836; 1841-9844
• DOI: 10.15837/ijccc.2011.1.2209

With the continuous development of the computers networks, new problems have been posed in the process of keys management in the cryptographic systems. The main element in the cryptographic technologies is the keys management, as the cryptographic algorithms are known, while the keys have to be either secret (for unauthorized users that do not need them), or public (for users that need them). With an efficient cryptographic keys management system and the existing encryption techniques, there may be implemented a proper security system in the informational systems of the organizations. The process of cryptographic keys management consists in the following operations: keys generation, distribution, update, revocation, storage, backup/ recovery, import and export, usage control, expiration, and destruction. The cryptographic keys management techniques depend on the type of the keys, i.e. symmetric or public. Nowadays, the efforts of the researches in the cryptographic keys management are focused on the standardization and interoperability of the keys management. In this paper, the authors analyze the existing keys management systems and standards available for the keys management techniques, emphasizing the advantages and disadvantages of different systems. They also propose a cryptographic keys management model based on the ideas and principles of the INTERRAP architecture (a conceptual model developed by Jőrg Műller for intelligent agents). Also, there are incorporated some intelligent techniques to manage emergency situations, such as keys losing or their improper usage.