Blockchain Account Recovery via Hash-Based Network Node
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blockchain account management systems face issues with account insecurity due to lost or compromised private keys, where users risk losing access to their accounts or facing unauthorized access, and current solutions either require multiple contracts or are vulnerable to exposure of additional security credentials during account creation.
Innovation Solution
A method using a network node that creates and manages accounts on a blockchain by generating and utilizing hash values for additional security credentials, allowing secure account recovery without exposing the source value until recovery is necessary, thereby minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a user stores their private key securely to maintain account security, then the account is protected from unauthorized access, but the user risks losing access to their account if the private key is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the account recovery process into multiple independent components: a first account for general access and a second account for recovery operations. This segmentation allows the private key to remain secure while providing a separate recovery mechanism that doesn't require exposing the private key.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based intermediary system that mediates between the private key holder and the account recovery process. The smart contracts act as intermediaries that can verify ownership and facilitate recovery without requiring the private key to be transmitted or exposed, thus maintaining security while enabling recovery.
2Ease of operation
If additional security credentials are collected during account creation to enable recovery, then account recovery becomes possible, but the security credentials may be exposed during the account creation process
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by creating a second account in advance with recovery capabilities, but only activates the recovery function when needed. The source value is stored securely and only used to generate hash values during the recovery process, never exposed during initial account creation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the security credential from a static stored value to a dynamic hash value that is generated on-demand. Instead of storing and transmitting the source value itself, the system stores only its hash, and generates new hash values during recovery operations, changing the parameter from the original credential to a derived cryptographic representation.
3Ease of operation
If multiple contracts are used for account recovery as in UPort, then account recovery functionality is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the account creation and recovery functionalities into a unified smart contract system. The same smart contract that manages the first account also handles the second account and recovery operations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated recovery contracts and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart contract is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both the account management contract and the recovery contract. It can perform multiple operations including account creation, private key management, and recovery operations using the same code base, thereby reducing the total number of contracts needed in the system.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and a network node for managing access, by a device, to a blockchain. The network node receives, a first request for creation of a first account. The first request comprises information relating to a user of the device and a first hash value. The network node creates, based on the information and the first hash value, the first account on the blockchain, whereby a first address is obtained. The network node receives, a second request for recovering account information of the first account. The second request comprises the first address of the first account, a source value from which the first hash value is derived and a second address of a second account. The network node generates a second hash value based on the source value. The network node initiates transfer of the account information of the first account to the second account.