Cryptographic Module Verification for Secure Data Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to ensure data protection when sensitive information is accessed from third-party services, as security controls are bypassed when data is exported, leading to potential theft or loss.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a data protection system that requires users to confirm the presence and correct configuration of encryption software as a factor in multi-factor authentication before accessing sensitive data, ensuring that data is encrypted and access is controlled based on predefined policies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If cloud-based services and third-party applications are used to increase business productivity, then accessibility and collaboration improve, but data security and protection deteriorate when data is exported or accessed externally

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveaccessibilityVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary verification of cryptographic module presence and configuration status before allowing access to sensitive data. This advance check ensures that the required security infrastructure is in place prior to any data access operation, preventing unauthorized access attempts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A verification service acts as an intermediary between the data access request and the actual data retrieval. This intermediary component checks cryptographic module compliance and only permits access if the verification passes, thereby mediating between accessibility requirements and security constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If users can access third-party services without verified data protection systems, then ease of operation improves, but risk of data loss and theft increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess easeVSAvoiddata loss risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides feedback to users about the status of their cryptographic module configuration. When the verification service detects that required cryptographic modules are missing or misconfigured, it returns specific feedback information that guides users in correcting the configuration, thereby maintaining ease of operation while preventing data loss risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If cryptographic data protection verification is implemented as a precondition of access, then data security improves, but system complexity and access requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata protectionVSAvoidaccess control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification service is designed as a universal component that handles multiple security verification tasks through a single integrated system. It checks cryptographic module presence, configuration status, and compliance requirements all through one service layer, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite the enhanced security measures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11841959B1Systems and methods for requiring cryptographic data protection as a precondition of system access

Publication Date: 2023.12.12 IONIC SECURITY

AI summary

Systems and methods for permitting software presence/configurations to function as a factor in a multi-factor authentication scheme so that a user's access to a different software program/application is conditioned on the presence of certain pre-specified software or software configurations that would otherwise not be necessary for access and/or operation of the different software program/application. Generally, by confirming the presence/configuration of the pre-specified software on a computing device, the system ensures that a user, in one embodiment, may only access the different software program/application with the proper configuration of the pre-specified software.