Resilient secret sharing cloud based architecture for data vault

Abstract

A method of securely storing data including: providing, within a secure data storage system, a plurality of secret sharing methods for selection and identifying a striping policy for storage of the data, in accordance with input preferences. The data can be split into N secret shares according to a secret sharing method, the selection being determined by the striping policy, wherein a threshold number, T, of such shares is sufficient to recover the data, where T is less than N, generating metadata associated with the data, the metadata identifying the selected secret sharing method and storing the metadata within the secure data storage system and writing the secret shares to storage that includes storage outside the secure data storage system, such that, when at least T shares are retrieved, the metadata can be recalled to identify the selected secret sharing method for recovery of the data.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT / GB2016 / 052009, filed Jul. 1, 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 188,058, filed Jul. 2, 2015, the entire contents of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to the secure storage of data.BACKGROUND[0003]Computing has witnessed a change from on-premises infrastructure to convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction, also known as Cloud Computing.[0004]Cloud computing provides enterprises with benefits such as saving on capital and operational costs, improving scalability and flexibility and reducing the carbon footprint. However, Cloud computing also presents a number of disadvantages such as data security and reliability issu...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]The method may further comprise identifying a persistence policy for storage of the data in accordance with input preferences, whereby a set of storage means is selected for storage of the data in accordance with the persistence policy and/or in accordance with a sensitivity attribute associated with the data. Some polices may include restrictions on attributes of the storage means that are to be selected to make up the set of storage means. Some polices may be defined for user selection that include different attributes for each of the storage means that are to be selected to make up the set of storage means. Such attributes may include identifiers of storage providers and geographical locations of the storage means. Polices may include user latency preference and/or may include duplication of one or more shares across plural independent storage means and/or may include trustworthiness of the storage means. “Trustworthiness” is not merely an abstract concept in the mind of the user—it may be defined in technical features such as by electronically signed certification, and/or may include challenge and response with a certification server.

[0022]The method preferably included monitoring the performance of each storage means for improvement of selection of storage means according to persistence policy, (e.g. adjusting the selection of storage means based on performance in response to t...

Problems solved by technology

However, Cloud computing also presents a number of disadvantages such as data security and reliability issues.

This methodology has been shown to be weak from many aspects, especially related to: trusted administrator access; lack of proper access control; Advanced Persistent Threat (APT); and in the loss of private keys.

The current encryption methods in the Cloud often suffer where the loss of a single encryption key can result in large-scale data loss.

With the Cloud, there is a risk of a major outage in parts of the Cloud resulting in denial of service.

More severely, outage can cause business shut down as there is no alternative means of accessing data.

Beyond this, the ...

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