Blockchain Data Forgetability via Encrypted Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Blockchain technology's immutability feature poses a challenge for deleting data as per regulatory requirements, as data once stored cannot be altered or deleted, contradicting the need for 'forgetting' or rendering data irretrievable.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a forget service that stores forgettable data in encrypted form within a blockchain, with a cryptographic key maintained by the forget service, allowing for data destruction and ensuring immutability is guaranteed by the blockchain itself through hash verification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is stored in a blockchain, then data immutability is guaranteed, but data cannot be deleted or forgotten

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata immutabilityVSAvoiddata deletability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The data is segmented into two separate components: encrypted data stored in the blockchain and decryption keys stored externally. This segmentation allows the encrypted data to remain immutable in the blockchain while the decryption keys can be deleted independently, enabling data forgetability without compromising blockchain immutability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

An intermediary forget service is introduced between the blockchain and the data retrieval process. This service holds the decryption keys and controls whether data can be accessed or forgotten. The intermediary manages the contradiction by selectively providing or withholding decryption capabilities while the blockchain maintains its immutability guarantee.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If data is encrypted and stored in blockchain, then data can be forgotten by deleting keys, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata forgetabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs self-service mechanisms where the forget service automatically manages key generation, storage, and deletion without requiring complex external coordination. The blockchain itself provides self-verification through hash comparisons, reducing the need for additional trust mechanisms and simplifying the overall system architecture despite the added cryptographic layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If decryption keys are stored externally, then data can be deleted, but verification of original data becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata deletabilityVSAvoiddata verification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Before data is encrypted and stored in the blockchain, a cryptographic hash of the original data is computed and stored alongside the encrypted data. This preliminary action creates a verification reference that remains in the blockchain indefinitely, enabling future verification of data integrity without requiring the decryption keys, thus maintaining verification accuracy while enabling data forgetability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12200149B2Blockchain data forgetability

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 MICRO FOCUS LLC

AI summary

To write forgettable data to a blockchain, the forgettable data is transmitted to a server, from which encrypted data corresponding to the forgettable data are received. A hash of the forgettable data is generated. A data block including the encrypted data and control data including the hash is added to the blockchain.