Atomic Message Validation and Storage for Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for validating electronic messages over untrustworthy channels, such as the Internet, are vulnerable to unauthorized modifications between signature generation and storage, as the content of the message can be altered by non-authorized persons during transmission.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an integrated validation and storage process using ACID (Atomic, Consistent, Isolation, and Durable) transactions, where the message and signature are locked and validated within a single atomic process, ensuring that modifications are not possible until the process is complete, and only valid messages are stored, with the option to roll back if validation fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the message content is transmitted through an untrustworthy channel before signature generation, then the message can be potentially modified by unauthorized persons, but separating the transmission and signature generation steps allows flexibility in message handling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the message transmission, signature generation, and storage operations into a single atomic database transaction. This merging ensures that the message is transmitted and signed together in one indivisible operation, preventing unauthorized modifications between transmission and signature generation, while maintaining process simplicity through unified handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary locking of the message content before transmission and signature generation. By acquiring a lock on the message in the database before these operations occur, the system ensures that the message cannot be modified by other transactions during the critical period, guaranteeing integrity without requiring complex external coordination.
2Ease of manufacture
If the signature validation and message storage are performed as separate steps, then the process is flexible and easier to implement, but the message content may be modified between validation and storage by non-authorized persons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges signature validation and message storage into a single atomic database transaction. The validation occurs within the same transaction context as the storage operation, ensuring that if validation succeeds, the message is immediately stored with the same integrity guarantees. This eliminates the vulnerability window between separate validation and storage steps while maintaining implementation simplicity through unified transaction handling.
3Reliability
If the message is locked during the integrated validation and storage process, then unauthorized modifications are prevented, but the process cannot be interrupted or modified mid-execution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent acquires the message lock at the beginning of the atomic transaction, before any validation or storage operations occur. This preliminary locking ensures that the message is protected from modification throughout the entire transaction duration. The lock is automatically released when the transaction commits or rolls back, providing both strong integrity protection and automatic resource management without requiring manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for validating a message with a signature. The method may include receiving the message with the signature and carrying out an integrated validation and storing process. The signature may be validated based on a validation algorithm and a key. The received message may be stored in a database. A method for generating a signature for a message may include carrying out an integrated receiving and generating process. The message to be sent may be received and the signature may be generated based on a signing algorithm and a key. The message may be sent with the signature.