Counter Hashing for Parallel Artifact Integrity Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud migration services lack a consistent cryptographic identifier to verify the integrity of artifacts being transferred from a source to a target system, making them vulnerable to attacks like block order swaps, hash collisions, and length extensions, and unable to reliably authenticate the artifact's provenance before complete download.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a counter (CTR) mode hashing technique that generates cryptographic identifiers for data blocks independently, allowing parallel processing and aggregation into a unique artifact hash, resistant to reordering and length extension attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional hashing methods are used to verify artifact integrity, then verification can be performed, but the process requires serial processing of all bytes and lacks resistance to block order swaps and length extension attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The artifact is divided into multiple data blocks, each processed independently to generate individual hashes. These block hashes are then combined using XOR operations to produce a final artifact hash. This segmentation enables parallel processing of blocks while maintaining verification reliability and providing resistance against block order swap attacks through the use of counter values in each block's hash generation.
Solution Approach 2:
Counter values are pre-assigned to each data block before hashing, establishing a predetermined sequence identifier for each block. This preliminary action enables the system to detect block order swaps by verifying that the counter values in received blocks match the expected sequence, without requiring serial processing of all blocks to perform verification.
2Reliability
If traditional hashing is used, then artifact verification is possible, but the system is vulnerable to hash collisions and length extension attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple cryptographic elements to create a composite hashing mechanism: individual block hashes are generated using a hash function, then combined using XOR operations, and finally aggregated to produce the artifact hash. This composite approach leverages the properties of different cryptographic operations to achieve resistance against hash collisions and length extension attacks that would affect individual operations alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension to traditional hashing by incorporating counter values as an additional parameter in each block's hash generation. This counter dimension serves as a unique identifier for each block's position in the sequence, adding a layer of security that prevents length extension attacks and ensures block order integrity without requiring changes to the fundamental hash function.
3Reliability
If complete artifact download is required before verification, then integrity can be confirmed, but authentication cannot occur before complete transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The artifact verification process is segmented into independent block-level operations. Each block can be hashed and verified individually using its counter value and data content, allowing the system to begin verification as soon as the first blocks are received. This segmentation eliminates the requirement to wait for complete artifact download before initiating integrity verification.
Solution Approach 2:
Block hashes serve as intermediaries between the raw data blocks and the final artifact verification. By generating and verifying hashes of individual blocks as they are transferred, the system can authenticate the provenance of received blocks without requiring the complete artifact to be downloaded first. The counter values act as additional intermediaries that enable sequence verification.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques described herein are directed toward a counter hash generation scheme. One embodiment includes a method for counter hash generation. The method includes a device receiving an instruction to transmit an artifact from a source system to a target system, the artifact comprising a plurality of blocks. The device receives a block from the source system. The device generates an initialization vector based at least in part on the artifact. The device generates a nonce based at least in part on the initialization vector and a block value, each block being assigned a respective block value by a counter. The device generates a combined data instance based at least in part on a combination of the nonce, data of the block, and a length of the block. The device generates a hash of the combined data instance. The device transmits the hash and the block to the target system.