Trusted paper key
Encyclopedia
A paper key is a machine-readable print of a cryptographic key. The printed key can be used to decrypt data, e.g. archives or backup
data. A paper key can be the result of an offline private key protocol
. The offline private key can also function as a token in two-factor authentication
.
The idea is that a digital key to decrypt and recover sensitive or personal data should have long-term durability and not be stored on any computer or network underlies the paper-printed key. The length of secure cryptographic keys restricts memorization, so the secret key takes the form of a 2D barcode
, a machine-readable print. Early implementations of a paper key by the company Safeberg use a Data Matrix
barcode
or a human-readable base 16 digits.
The user stores the printed key in a secure location. To avoid abuse, the key can only be used in combination with a ‘normal’ password.
The user can extract the key by creating a digital photo or scan of their paper key and feed it to cryptographic software that extracts the key to decrypt the data.
Backup
In information technology, a backup or the process of backing up is making copies of data which may be used to restore the original after a data loss event. The verb form is back up in two words, whereas the noun is backup....
data. A paper key can be the result of an offline private key protocol
Offline private key protocol
The offline private key protocol is a cryptographic protocol to prevent unauthorized access to back up or archive data. The protocol results in a public key that can be used to encrypt data and an offline private key that can later be used to decrypt that data.The protocol is based on three rules...
. The offline private key can also function as a token in two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication is an approach to authentication which requires the presentation of two different kinds of evidence that someone is who they say they are. It is a part of the broader family of multi-factor authentication, which is a defense in depth approach to security...
.
The idea is that a digital key to decrypt and recover sensitive or personal data should have long-term durability and not be stored on any computer or network underlies the paper-printed key. The length of secure cryptographic keys restricts memorization, so the secret key takes the form of a 2D barcode
Barcode
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional . Later they evolved into rectangles,...
, a machine-readable print. Early implementations of a paper key by the company Safeberg use a Data Matrix
Data Matrix
A Data Matrix code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode consisting of black and white "cells" or modules arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. The information to be encoded can be text or raw data. Usual data size is from a few bytes up to 1556 bytes. The length of the encoded data...
barcode
Barcode
A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of data, which shows data about the object to which it attaches. Originally barcodes represented data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1 dimensional . Later they evolved into rectangles,...
or a human-readable base 16 digits.
The user stores the printed key in a secure location. To avoid abuse, the key can only be used in combination with a ‘normal’ password.
The user can extract the key by creating a digital photo or scan of their paper key and feed it to cryptographic software that extracts the key to decrypt the data.