Blockchain Data Sharing via Ciphertext Index Mediation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data sharing methods in blockchain technologies face challenges in ensuring privacy and security, particularly in scenarios where data centers have the capability to access and control shared data, leading to potential breaches and loss of privacy.

Innovation Solution

A data sharing system utilizing an index blockchain where members maintain private data and generate ciphertext index information, which is recorded on a sharing platform. This system enables secure data acquisition requests and responses, ensuring that only encrypted data is shared, and the sharing platform cannot access the actual private data, thus maintaining high privacy and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a data center hosts data of each member in a hosting mode, then data sharing capability is improved, but data security and privacy protection deteriorate because the data center has the capability and opportunity to store and access shared data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata sharing capabilityVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data center as an intermediary that stores only ciphertext indexes rather than actual private data. This mediator enables data sharing by providing index queries and data retrieval services while the encryption mechanism ensures that the intermediary cannot access the actual private data content, thus resolving the contradiction between sharing capability and security

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transforms the data storage parameter from plaintext to ciphertext by applying encryption algorithms. The private data is encrypted before being stored or indexed, changing its state from accessible to inaccessible form, which allows the system to maintain both sharing functionality and security simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If data is separately controlled by different members in an aggregation mode, then data security is improved, but data sharing efficiency deteriorates as the aggregation mode gradually develops into hosting mode

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoiddata sharing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data access into two independent parts: index management (handled by the data center for efficiency) and actual data storage (kept by member entities for security). This segmentation allows the system to achieve both high sharing efficiency through centralized index management and high security through distributed data ownership

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The data center acts as a mediator that facilitates efficient data sharing through centralized index management and query processing, while the encryption mechanism ensures that this mediation does not compromise security. The intermediary enables aggregation mode benefits without forcing transition to hosting mode

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If the sharing platform forwards data acquisition requests to data provider members, then data accessibility is improved, but the risk of data breach increases if the platform can access private data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoiddata breach risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies encryption transformation to change the data parameter from plaintext to ciphertext. The sharing platform only handles ciphertext indexes and encrypted data, which maintains accessibility through automated request forwarding while the encryption parameter change ensures that even if the platform accesses the data, it cannot read or misuse the private information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3816837B1Data sharing method, apparatus, and system, and electronic device
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP3816837B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3816837B1 patent drawingFigure 4
  • EP3816837B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

One or more embodiments of the present specification provide a data sharing method, apparatus, and system, and an electronic device. When applied to a data requester member, the method includes: determining an index information set corresponding to target data and recorded in an index blockchain, where the index information set includes a ciphertext index of the target data and member information of a data provider of the target data, and the index information set is shared by the data provider to the index blockchain; initiating a data acquisition request to the data provider by using a sharing platform, where the data acquisition request includes the ciphertext index of the target data; and receiving response data returned by the sharing platform, where the response data is encrypted by an identity public key of the data requester.