Blockchain Identity Certificate Replacement via Consensus Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in blockchain networks is to securely replace identity certificates without compromising security, as existing methods face difficulties in ensuring the integrity and authenticity of identity certificates across nodes.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus for replacing identity certificates in a blockchain network involve a certificate authentication center that generates and manages root certificates, notifies nodes of replacements, and verifies new certificates through a consensus process, ensuring continuous secure communication by using new root certificates to issue updated identity certificates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If identity certificates are replaced to improve security, then security is enhanced, but the complexity of implementing replacement increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidimplementation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A certificate authentication center is introduced as an intermediary authority to manage the certificate replacement process. This center issues replacement notifications and validates new certificates, centralizing the complex replacement logic and simplifying the implementation for individual blockchain nodes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing a certificate authentication center with root certificates and preparing replacement notifications before actual certificate expiration. This advance preparation eliminates the need for complex real-time decision-making during certificate replacement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If certificate replacement is implemented to prevent leakage, then security is improved, but the difficulty of ensuring authenticity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthenticity verification difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where blockchain nodes report their certificate status to the authentication center, and the center provides feedback with replacement notifications and validation results. This continuous feedback loop ensures authenticity verification is simplified through centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The certificate authentication center serves as a trusted intermediary that validates the authenticity of replacement notifications and new certificates. This intermediary role eliminates the need for nodes to independently verify complex cryptographic proofs, simplifying authenticity detection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If continuous certificate replacement is performed to maintain security, then security is enhanced, but network integrity may be compromised during transition

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidnetwork integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-validating replacement notifications and preparing new certificates before actual deployment. This ensures that when replacement occurs, network integrity is maintained through pre-established validation rules and trusted authentication centers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The certificate authentication center operates continuously to manage the replacement process, ensuring uninterrupted validation and issuance of new certificates. This continuous operation maintains network integrity by providing consistent, reliable certificate management throughout the transition period.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentEP3923514B1Method and apparatus for replacing identity certificate in blockchain network, and storage medium and computer device
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO LTD
  • EP3923514B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3923514B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3923514B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method for replacing an identity certificate in a blockchain network. The blockchain network comprises a service sub-network, a consensus sub-network and a routing layer used for isolating the service sub-network from the consensus sub-network. The method comprises: receiving a root certificate replacement notification sent by a certificate authentication center; acquiring a public key corresponding to the certificate authentication center; using the acquired public key to verify the root certificate replacement notification; after the verification succeeds, forwarding the root certificate replacement notification to a consensus node in the consensus sub-network such that the consensus node performs consensus on the root certificate replacement notification and then records the root certificate replacement notification to the latest data block; and when the data block is received, making a request to replace an identity certificate from the certificate authentication center, wherein a new identity certificate requested is obtained by means of the authentication according to a new root certificate of the certificate authentication center.