METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING BETRAYERS OF PROPRIETARY DATA

A method for identifying betrayers of proprietary data which enables a betrayer, i.e., an authorized subscriber who has disclosed one of his partial keys to a third person without authorization, to be unequivocally identified. A respective subset of encryption keys is assigned to each authorized subscriber according to finite geometric structures and methods such that the necessary characteristic of the k-resilience used for identifying a betrayer is guaranteed. A betrayer search algorithm is used for the unequivocal identification of a betrayer. Coalitions of betrayers may also be unequivocally identified.