Browser Profile Sync Encryption via Session Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In shared electronic workspaces, ensuring the consistent and secure synchronization of private and sensitive data across multiple concurrent sessions while maintaining user trust, especially when the local computing device and web service are not fully trusted, is a challenge due to the risk of data compromise and the need for ephemeral data handling.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the allocation of encryption keys and tokens for each user session, where data changes are propagated as a changeset, verified, and committed using a companion service that ensures data integrity and consistency, with features like authentication codes and metadata management to detect invalid or out-of-order changesets, and the use of encryption counter and timestamp for data protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the web service stores private data persistently between sessions, then data consistency across sessions is improved, but trust in the service increases which contradicts the ephemeral trust model
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the trust model by creating ephemeral session instances that are isolated from each other. Each session receives encrypted data with unique decryption keys, preventing any single session from accessing persistent stored data. This segmentation allows data to be stored persistently for consistency while maintaining the appearance of ephemeral access, resolving the contradiction between data stability and trust minimization.
2Speed
If the local computing device stores private data locally, then data access speed is improved, but security risk increases due to potential compromise of the local device
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces encrypted data as an intermediary between the local device and the web service. The local device stores encrypted data locally for fast access, but cannot decrypt it without session-specific keys provided by the web service. This intermediary encrypted form allows local storage benefits while eliminating security risks, as compromised local storage cannot be exploited without the decryption keys.
3Productivity
If multiple concurrent sessions share the same private data, then collaboration efficiency is improved, but the blast radius of a compromise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by giving each concurrent session its own unique decryption keys for the same encrypted data. While all sessions can access the same encrypted data blob for collaboration efficiency, a compromise of one session's keys only affects that specific session, not others. This local quality approach allows shared access benefits while isolating security risks to individual sessions.
4Reliability
If the web service implements robust security measures, then data security is improved, but device and service complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by shifting the security burden from the web service to the client devices. The web service only needs to store encrypted data and manage simple session key distribution, while the cryptographic security is handled by the clients' own encryption implementations. This self-service approach achieves strong security without requiring complex security infrastructure at the service level.
Data Source
AI summary
System and methods for synchronizing and encrypting profile information are provided. A method establishes a first browser instance on a first virtual machine being in communication with a first browser profile sync and encrypt agent. The method also establishes a second browser instance on a second virtual machine. The method may use the first browser profile sync and encrypt agent acting through a profile helper service to encrypt profile changes involving the first browser instance on an encrypted master profile and use the second browser profile sync and encrypt agent acting through the profile helper service to encrypt profile changes involving the second browser instance on the encrypted master profile. The method maintains a browser profile persistence for the first browser instance and for the second browser instance, using the encrypted master profile, on a single on-disk profile.