Cross-partition Calls in Tamper-Evident Data Stores
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tamper-evident data stores in decentralized computing platforms face challenges in allowing cross-partition access while maintaining data security and integrity, as existing systems often restrict access to partitions and lack fine-grained control over sub-partitions, limiting the ability of programs to read data from or write to other partitions or sub-partitions.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a process that enables cross-partition and cross-sub-partition calls by using a decentralized computing platform with directed acyclic graphs of cryptographic hash pointers, where programs can request and access data from authorized partitions or sub-partitions, and the use of opcodes to change pointers and manage access controls, ensuring data integrity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If programs are restricted to access only their associated partition, then data security and integrity are maintained, but cross-partition data access capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments access control into two levels: partition level and sub-partition level. Programs can access their own partition freely, and can selectively access specific sub-partitions of other partitions through authorized cross-partition calls. This segmentation allows fine-grained control where security is maintained at the partition level while enabling necessary data access at the sub-partition level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary access control mechanism that mediates cross-partition data access. When a program needs to access data in another partition, it must go through an authorized cross-partition call that is verified by the system. This intermediary process ensures that security policies are enforced while allowing legitimate cross-partition access when authorized.
2Reliability
If fine-grained access control is implemented across partitions, then data privacy is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is segmented into hierarchical levels (partition and sub-partition) with distinct access rules for each level. This segmentation simplifies the complexity by providing a structured approach: programs have automatic access to their own partition, and controlled access to specific sub-partitions of other partitions through authorized calls, rather than managing complex permissions for every possible data access scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
Different access control policies are applied to different levels of the data structure. At the partition level, strict access control is enforced to protect data privacy. At the sub-partition level, more flexible access is allowed through authorized cross-partition calls. This local differentiation of access control quality allows the system to maintain security where needed while enabling data access where appropriate, without applying uniform complexity across the entire system.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a process that includes: obtaining a first request by a first program associated with a first sub-partition of a first partition of a tamper-evident data store of a decentralized computing platform to read data stored in either (i) a second sub-partition of the first partition of the tamper-evident data store of the decentralized computing platform, or (ii) a second partition of the tamper-evident data store of the decentralized computing platform; determining with a subset of peer computing nodes of a set of peer computing nodes that the first program is authorized to read from the second sub-partition or the second partition; and in response to the determination, causing the requested data to be read from the second sub-partition or the second partition.