Blockchain-Based Data Access Control Preventing Collusion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern web services lack transparency and user control over how sensitive user data is managed and shared, with existing protocols requiring users to be online and trusting third parties, leading to potential data misuse and security breaches.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that allows users to create and enforce information usage policies using a blockchain to control data access and usage, with a host server processing requests within a private enclave and encrypting data for secure distribution to authorized parties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users trust third parties to execute protocols online, then data access control is enabled, but user control and transparency are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain-based intermediary system that mediates between users and data consumers. The blockchain stores verifiable proofs of data usage compliance, allowing users to control data access without needing to trust third-party executors. The smart contract on blockchain automatically enforces usage policies and provides transparent verification, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and user control.
2Ease of operation
If automatic enforcement of policies is implemented, then online presence requirement is removed, but security against adversarial hosts deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having users pre-define usage policies and store them on the blockchain before data is shared. These policies include verifiable proofs of compliance that are recorded on the blockchain in advance. When data is accessed offline, the pre-stored policies and proofs ensure security without requiring real-time verification, thus enabling offline operation while maintaining security.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data is shared with multiple recipients, then data utility is improved, but fairness and prevention of collusion deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where each data consumer must provide verifiable proof of compliance with usage policies to the blockchain network. The smart contract monitors and verifies each recipient's adherence to the defined policies, providing continuous feedback on data usage. This ensures fair distribution to multiple recipients by preventing collusion, as any policy violation is detected and recorded on the immutable blockchain ledger.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are a system and techniques for enabling user control over usage of their information by data consumers, even when untrusted parties are involved, while also preventing collusion between the untrusted party and a data consumer. A user's information may be collected by a client device and provided to a host server. An encrypted version of the user's information may be stored at the host server so that it is processed on a private enclave of the host server. When the data is to be provided to multiple data consumers, the data may be encrypted for each of the data consumers and may be released to each of those data consumers simultaneously once confirmation has been received that the data has been made available to each of the data consumers.