ClasseChave

Classechave is a software design concept used to describe an object-oriented abstraction that represents a cryptographic key and its related metadata within a software system. The term is formed from Portuguese words classe (class) and chave (key) and may appear in documentation for libraries targeting Portuguese-speaking developers.

Definition and scope: Classechave typically refers to a class in an object-oriented language that encapsulates key material, algorithm identifier, usage permissions, and lifecycle metadata. The key material may be stored directly or as a secure reference to protected storage. Core properties often include algorithm, keySize, keyMaterial or materialReference, keyFormat, usage (e.g., encrypt, decrypt, sign, verify), extractable flag, id, creationDate, and owner or application context. The class enforces security by controlling access to material, supporting non-extractable keys, and integrating with secure storage mechanisms such as hardware security modules or OS-keystore.

Usage and design: In practice, there are symmetric and asymmetric variants; a ClasseChave base can be subclassed to represent different key types, while a key management service may supply key instances to crypto operations without exposing raw material. Typical workflows include generation, rotation, and destruction, with import/export restricted by policy. The term is not a universally standardized term; it appears in some Portuguese-language documentation and is used to describe a generic key container rather than a specific library.

See also: cryptographic key management, key material, secure storage, API design. Standards such as NIST SP 800-57 and ISO/IEC 27001 address key management practices.