US 12,432,057 B2
Control system management for secret backup in distributed systems
Bradley K. Goodman, Nashua, NH (US); Joseph Caisse, Burlington, MA (US); and Eric Joseph Bruno, Shirley, NY (US)
Assigned to Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed by Dell Products L.P., Round Rock, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 26, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/359,453.
Prior Publication US 2025/0038974 A1, Jan. 30, 2025
Int. Cl. H04L 9/08 (2006.01); G06F 21/62 (2013.01); G06F 21/64 (2013.01); H04L 9/40 (2022.01)
CPC H04L 9/0894 (2013.01) [G06F 21/6209 (2013.01); H04L 9/0825 (2013.01); H04L 9/0891 (2013.01); G06F 21/62 (2013.01); G06F 21/64 (2013.01); H04L 9/0897 (2013.01); H04L 63/06 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for managing a secret in a distributed system, the method comprising:
obtaining protection pipeline requirements for a protection pipeline to manage the secret, the secret being used to provide computer implemented services;
obtaining a protection pipeline definition using the protection pipeline requirements;
establishing the protection pipeline using the protection pipeline definition and at least one escrow agent;
escrowing at least one multiply encrypted copy of the secret with the protection pipeline;
while the at least one multiply encrypted copy of the secret is escrowed with the protection pipeline, monitoring an operation of the protection pipeline for a deviation of the operation from the protection pipeline definition, the deviation causing an impact on a level of protection for the secret, and the level of protection being specified at least in part by the protection pipeline requirements;
using the at least one multiply encrypted copy of the secret to restore access to the secret following loss of access to the secret; and
after restoring access to the secret, using the secret to continue provisioning of the computer implemented services.