A method for generating/regenerating an encryption key for a cryptographic
method including the encryption key as well as a public key being
generated using a predefined deterministic method from a large random
number (seed), where the seed is only generated on the user side, and for
which quantities available only to the user are consulted. Regeneration
information (R), which is suitable for regenerating the seed and from
which the seed is able to be derived deterministically by the trust
center by linking only to information known to it, may be generated on
the user side and stored so as to be secured against lost. In the event
of loss of the encryption key, the seed may be reconstructed by the trust
center by linking the regeneration information to the secret information.