Cloud Storage Data Segmentation and Key Separation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data storage methods in cloud storage face security concerns due to the vulnerability of encryption methods when large amounts of data are stored on unknown servers, as they can be decrypted with sufficient computing power, making it difficult to ensure data security.

Innovation Solution

A method that divides data into source blocks, encrypts each block with a unique key, and stores the block key and encrypted data across multiple, randomly selected storage locations, ensuring that no single location can decrypt the data without the correct key, thereby enhancing security by preventing statistical analysis and collaboration among storage operators.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If data is stored on unknown servers in cloud storage, then storage capacity and accessibility are improved, but data security deteriorates because encryption can be cracked with sufficient computing power

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecloud storage accessibilityVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the original data into multiple source blocks and encrypts each block separately with different keys. Each encrypted block is stored at a different storage location. This segmentation ensures that no single storage location contains all the information needed to decrypt the complete data, thereby maintaining security while enabling cloud storage accessibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent assigns different security properties to different parts of the data by using unique encryption keys for each source block. Each storage location receives data with locally optimized security characteristics, where the control data at each location contains only the specific key needed for that block, preventing unauthorized decryption even if one location is compromised.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If encryption keys are stored at the same location as encrypted data, then data recovery is simplified, but security deteriorates because the key and data are vulnerable to simultaneous compromise

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recovery simplicityVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent separates the encryption keys (control data) from the encrypted data by storing them at different storage locations. Each source block is encrypted with a unique key, and the control data containing that key is stored at a different location than the encrypted block itself. This physical separation maintains security while allowing simplified recovery through coordinated access to multiple locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces control data as an intermediary element that contains the encryption keys. This control data is stored at separate storage locations from the encrypted data blocks. The control data acts as a mediator that enables decryption without being physically co-located with the data it protects, thereby maintaining security while facilitating recovery operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If data is divided and stored at multiple storage locations, then security is improved by preventing single-point compromise, but device complexity increases due to coordinated access requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidstorage system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides data into source blocks and distributes them across multiple storage locations with different security characteristics. Each location stores a portion of the encrypted data along with its corresponding control data. This segmentation improves security by ensuring that compromise of one location does not expose the complete data set, while the modular structure manages complexity through standardized division and distribution protocols.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9419796B2Method for storing and recovering data, utilization of the method in a storage cloud, storage server and computer program product
Publication Date: 2016.08.16 FUJITSU LTD
  • US9419796B2 patent drawing
  • US9419796B2 patent drawing
  • US9419796B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for storing data in which the data to be stored is divided into a plurality of source blocks, each source block subjected to steps including defining a block key for the source block based on a random function, encrypting the source block by utilizing the defined block key, selecting at least one first storage location and one second storage location from a plurality of different available storage locations, storing control data that includes information on the defined block key at the first selected storage location, and storing encrypted data that includes information on the encrypted source block at the second selected storage location.