Blockchain Checksum Verification for Cloud Document Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing document integrity verification methods rely on central institutions that may not be fully trusted, leading to uncertainty in document authenticity due to potential security failures or internal tampering.
Innovation Solution
Recording a checksum of a document on a public blockchain to validate its integrity by comparing it with a recalculated checksum, ensuring the document has not been altered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a central institution stores the document, then the document can be stored and accessed, but the integrity of the document may be at risk due to potential security failures or internal tampering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based intermediary system that mediates between the document storage and integrity verification. Instead of relying on the central institution's security, the system uses a decentralized blockchain ledger as an intermediary to store cryptographic hashes of documents, providing tamper-proof verification without requiring trust in the storage institution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a cryptographic copy (hash) of the document and stores it on the blockchain. This copy serves as an immutable reference that can be used to verify the original document's integrity without needing to trust the central storage institution, effectively decoupling storage from verification.
2Reliability
If a digital stamp is applied to a document, then the document's authenticity is indicated, but the stamping process is not tamper-proof despite security controls
Solution Approach 1:
The blockchain acts as an intermediary that provides tamper-proof verification. Instead of relying on the institution's internal security controls for stamping, the system uses the decentralized blockchain ledger to store and verify cryptographic hashes, making the authentication process resistant to internal tampering.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/institutional stamping process with a cryptographic verification mechanism. Instead of applying a physical or digital stamp that relies on institutional security, the system uses cryptographic hashes and blockchain verification, which provide mathematical guarantees of authenticity without relying on human or institutional trust.
3Reliability
If a checksum is stored in a central data store, then the document's integrity can be verified, but the checksum can be changed if the document changes since all data is under control of the software developer/vendor
Solution Approach 1:
The blockchain serves as an independent intermediary that stores the checksum outside the vendor's control. The decentralized nature of blockchain ensures that once a checksum is recorded, it cannot be altered by the software developer or vendor, providing true integrity verification independent of the storage system operator.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a cryptographic copy of the document's checksum and stores it on the blockchain. This copy is immutable and independent of the central data store, allowing verification without trusting the vendor to maintain the integrity of their own storage system.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method including accessing an electronically stored data set, generating a checksum of the accessed data, creating a payload including the generated checksum of the data set and an identifier for the data set and committing a transaction including the payload to a blockchain.