Blockchain-Based User Managed Encryption Key Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data encryption systems rely heavily on technology providers for key management and recovery, which can lead to data loss and lack of user control, especially in non-professionally managed environments, and raises concerns about trust and security.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a user-managed encryption recovery system using blockchain to create and store encryption keys, where a puzzle is created and stored on a decentralized ledger, allowing users to recover their keys independently without relying on technology providers, ensuring transparency, auditability, and security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If technology providers manage encryption keys, then key management and recovery are simplified, but user control and security are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekey managementVSAvoiduser control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables users to self-manage their encryption keys by storing the public key and puzzle on the blockchain, eliminating the need for technology provider intervention in key management while maintaining user control and security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The blockchain acts as an intermediary that stores the public key and puzzle in a decentralized manner, allowing users to recover keys independently without relying on technology providers while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If technology providers store encryption keys, then recovery process is simplified, but trust and security concerns increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekey recoveryVSAvoidtrust and security concerns

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a copy of the public key and puzzle on the blockchain rather than storing the actual encryption key with the technology provider, allowing key recovery while eliminating trust concerns about key storage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by storing the public key and puzzle on the blockchain before key loss occurs, enabling users to recover their keys independently when needed without relying on technology provider trust

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If decentralized key management is implemented, then user control and security are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser controlVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the key management function from the technology provider and places it on the blockchain, simplifying the user's role to merely storing the public key and puzzle while the complex decentralized verification is handled automatically by the blockchain

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS10990687B2System and method for user managed encryption recovery using blockchain for data at rest

Publication Date: 2021.04.27 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

An information handling system includes a memory for storing user data and a processor. The processor is configured to create a key, create a puzzle from the key, publish the puzzle to a ledger; encrypt user data in the memory using the key; retrieve the puzzle from the ledger when a user has lost access to the key; solve the puzzle to recover the key; and decrypt the user data.