Patent attributes
A method for updating a cryptographic key via a computation unit configured with one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more processors is disclosed. The method includes loading a base key into a cryptographic storage unit integrated with a cryptographic application. The method includes generating a temporal key based on the base key using a one-way key update algorithm via cryptographic application logic integrated within the cryptographic application. The temporal key is assigned an update count based on the number of updates performed on the temporal key. The method further includes comparing the update count value to a required update count, updating the temporal key if the update count is less than the required update count, and zeroizing the temporal key if the update count is more than the required update count, in which the temporal key may be regenerated with the required update count.