Blockchain Consent Mechanism for Regulatory Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Opaque blockchains pose a challenge for regulatory entities seeking to audit or verify underlying data, as the data is hashed and inaccessible without explicit consent from the data owner.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automatically provisioning data for an opaque blockchain based on prior consent, where a regulatory entity requests consent from the target entity, which verifies the signatures and provides consent before allowing access to the underlying data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is hashed and stored on an opaque blockchain to protect privacy and security, then data protection is improved, but auditability and verifiability by third parties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data protection and auditability into separate layers: hashed data is stored on the opaque blockchain for protection, while consent records are stored separately (on a public blockchain or database) to enable auditability. This segmentation allows both privacy and verification to coexist without compromising either.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces consent records as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the gap between hashed data and third-party verification. These records contain verification information that allows regulators to audit the blockchain without accessing the actual underlying data, thus maintaining both security and auditability.
2Reliability
If an opaque blockchain is used to store sensitive data, then data security is improved, but the ability of regulatory entities to perform independent verification deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing consent records in advance on a public blockchain or database before regulatory verification is needed. These pre-stored records contain all necessary verification information, enabling regulators to perform independent verification without needing to contact data owners or access the opaque blockchain directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The consent records provide feedback mechanisms that allow regulatory entities to verify the integrity and authenticity of data on the opaque blockchain. The records contain cryptographic proofs and metadata that enable regulators to confirm that data was properly stored and has not been tampered with, thus facilitating ease of regulatory verification.
3Adaptability or versatility
If consent mechanisms are implemented for data access on opaque blockchains, then data ownership control is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The consent record structure is designed to be universal and multi-functional, serving multiple purposes: it provides ownership control, enables regulatory verification, maintains audit trails, and supports various types of data access requests. This universality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for different functions, thereby managing system complexity while providing comprehensive data ownership control.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing consent for provisioning data in an opaque blockchain, includes: receiving, by a receiver of a processing server, a consent request for data associated with the processing server stored on a blockchain, the consent request including at least two digital signatures, where a first digital signature is generated by a regulating entity and a second digital signature is generated by a moderating entity in the blockchain network; validating, by a processing device of the processing server, the first digital signature and the second digital signature; digitally signing, by the processing device of the processing server, the received consent request using a private key of a first cryptographic key pair; and transmitting, by a transmitter of the processing server, the digitally signed consent request to the regulating entity.