Part 1: General - Computer Security Resource Center - National ...

2
Pre-Operational
Phase
3
7
1
4
Operational
Phase
6
Post-Operational
Phase
Destroyed
Phase
Figure 4: Key management phases
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March, 2007
Transition 1: A key enters the pre-activation phase immediately upon generation.
Transition 2: If keys are produced, but never used, they may be destroyed by transitioning
from the pre-operational phase directly to the destroyed phase.
Transition 3: When a key in the pre-activation phase is compromised, it transitions to the
post-operational phase (compromised state).
Transition 4: After the required key attributes have been established, keying material has
been generated, and the attributes are associated with the key during the preoperational
phase, the key is ready to be used by applications and transitions
to the operational phase at the appropriate time.
Transition 5: When a key in the operational phase is compromised, it transitions to the postoperational
phase (compromised state).
Transition 6: When keys are no longer required for normal use (i.e., the end of the
cryptoperiod has been reached and the key is no longer “active”), but access to
those keys needs to be maintained, the key transitions to the post-operational
phase.
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