Decentralized Blockchain Key Management via Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional software solutions fail to securely generate and retrieve blockchain keys, leading to insecure data access and potential cyber-attacks, as users often rely on third parties or internal databases that can be compromised.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for dynamic encryption and decryption of blockchain keys, where a server generates and divides a blockchain key into segments, encrypts them, and distributes them across network nodes, allowing secure retrieval and access using authentication methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If blockchain keys are stored in an internal database for easy retrieval, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened because the database may be subjected to cyber-attacks and keys may be accessed by hostile third parties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the blockchain key into multiple key segments and distributes them across different network nodes. This segmentation prevents any single point of failure or compromise, as an attacker would need to compromise multiple distributed nodes simultaneously to obtain the complete key, thereby resolving the contradiction between easy retrieval and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces smart contracts as intermediaries that manage key segments and control access to blockchain data. These smart contracts act as mediators between users and their keys, enabling secure retrieval through automated authentication mechanisms without requiring users to directly access or store complete keys, thus improving both ease of operation and security.
2Ease of operation
If third parties are used to recreate lost blockchain keys, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened because the third party gains possession of the user's private key or sensitive data
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the key into multiple parts distributed across different nodes, the patent eliminates the need for third-party intervention in key recovery. Users can recover their keys by accessing their own distributed segments through smart contract authentication, preventing third parties from ever obtaining complete key information and thus resolving the security risk of data exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service key recovery mechanisms where users can retrieve their own keys through automated smart contract authentication without requiring external third parties. This eliminates the security vulnerability of third-party key management while maintaining ease of operation, as users independently recover their keys through pre-configured authentication methods.
3Reliability
If blockchain keys are divided and distributed across multiple network nodes, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses smart contracts as intermediaries to manage the complexity of distributed key segments. These smart contracts automatically handle key segmentation, distribution, retrieval, and recombination operations, shielding users from the underlying complexity while maintaining high security through decentralized key management.
Solution Approach 2:
The smart contracts in the patent serve multiple functions: they manage key segmentation, handle distribution across nodes, authenticate users, and reconstruct keys. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise be separate complex systems into a unified solution, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security benefits of distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system disclosed herein facilitate retrieval of a blockchain key. The method comprises receiving a key store comprising a first encryption method, a second encryption method, and identification information of one or more network nodes storing a plurality of encrypted storage keys; displaying an authentication request and receiving and input form the user in response to the authentication request; upon the input received matching a record within a database, instructing the one or more network nodes to transmit the encrypted key segments; decrypting each encrypted key segment based on the first encryption method; and generating a blockchain key by appending the strings of the key segments based on the second encryption method.