Cloud Intermediary for Secure Proprietary Software Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to securely apply proprietary software functions to proprietary data of users without exposing the proprietary software, data, or results to unauthorized parties, especially when users lack processing resources or wish to keep data confidential.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a cloud-based collaboration software module that enables secure two-way connections between clients and software providers, allowing clients to request tasks, embed encryption keys into user-defined functions (UDFs), and apply these secure UDFs to data while maintaining control over access and permissions through a security-control data structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If users send proprietary data to software sources for processing, then software functions can be applied to the data, but proprietary data and results are exposed to the software source
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based intermediary platform that hosts the software functions and acts as a mediator between users and software sources. Users upload proprietary data to the cloud platform, where encrypted software functions are executed on the data without exposing either the data or the software source code to the other party. The cloud platform returns only the processing results to users, maintaining confidentiality while enabling software processing.
2Loss of information
If users import software modules to their processing facility, then data confidentiality is maintained, but processing resources are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud-based platform serves as an intermediary that provides access to powerful processing resources without requiring users to import software locally. The platform hosts software functions in the cloud and executes them on user data, delivering results back to users. This approach maintains data confidentiality while leveraging the cloud's substantial processing capabilities.
3Productivity
If software sources apply functions to user data, then processing tasks are completed, but proprietary software and user data are exposed to each other
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud platform introduces itself as a trusted intermediary that hosts software functions and executes them on user data. The software source provides encrypted function code to the cloud platform, which then executes these functions on user-uploaded data. Neither the software source nor the user can access the other's proprietary information, yet the processing task is completed successfully.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the processing architecture into distinct components: user data upload module, cloud-based software execution module, and result delivery module. This segmentation separates the proprietary software (hosted on cloud servers) from user data (uploaded temporarily), allowing them to interact for processing while maintaining physical and logical separation that prevents exposure of either component.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for securely applying proprietary software functions of software sources to proprietary data of a population of users are disclosed. The proprietary data of a user is not exposed to software sources, and the proprietary software of a software source is not accessible to users. A collaboration software module, placed in at least one cloud, is configured to establish, and continually update, a data structure holding task permissions from grantors to grantees, a grantor being a software source or a user, and a grantee is also a software source or a user. The collaboration software module of a cloud applies software function of a software source, communicatively coupled to the cloud, to proprietary data of an originating user, communicatively coupled to the same cloud, to produce a requisite result which is only accessible to the originating user or any grantees of the originating user (the grantor).