Cryptographic Anchoring for Data Immutability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage systems face challenges in maintaining the immutability of stored data, as they allow for data overwrite, which can lead to unauthorized modifications, necessitating a method to detect and prevent such changes.
Innovation Solution
A data storage system creates unique data and sequence signatures using one-way cryptographic hash functions, storing these in a signature database and transmitting selected sequence signatures to an anchor system for auditing, ensuring data integrity and immutability through cryptographic proofs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data storage systems reuse the same storage space, then storage efficiency is improved, but data immutability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data storage into two separate systems: a data storage system that efficiently reuses storage space, and an anchor system that maintains immutable cryptographic anchors. This segmentation allows each system to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic anchors as an intermediary between the data storage system and the audit system. These anchors serve as a trusted mediator that provides cryptographic proof of data integrity without requiring the audit system to access or trust the data storage system directly.
2Adaptability or versatility
If data storage systems allow data overwrite, then storage flexibility is improved, but data integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by creating cryptographic anchors from data hashes before the data is potentially overwritten. These pre-created anchors serve as immutable reference points that allow future verification of data integrity even after the original data has been overwritten or deleted.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the audit system periodically retrieves stored anchors and verifies them against current data. This continuous feedback loop ensures that any unauthorized modifications to stored data are detected, maintaining data integrity despite the flexibility to overwrite.
3Measurement precision
If cryptographic anchors are stored for every data element, then data integrity verification is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by storing cryptographic anchors for only some data elements rather than all of them. The system selectively anchors data based on importance, recency, or other criteria, reducing the total number of anchors stored while still providing sufficient verification coverage for critical data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses inexpensive cryptographic hash functions to create anchors that are computationally cheap to generate and store. These anchors serve as disposable verification tokens that can be created on-demand and discarded after verification, reducing the long-term storage burden.
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage system creates a data signature for a data element that is to be stored by hashing the data element. The data storage system also creates a sequence signature for the data element and stores the sequence signature in a signature database. The sequence signature is created using the data signature of the data element and the previous sequence signature stored in the signature database. The data storage system transmits a copy of the sequence signature to an anchor system. The anchor system stores the copy as an export anchor and creates an import anchor based on the export anchor and information associated with the present time. The anchor system stores the import anchor and transmits a copy to the data storage system. An audit system uses the export anchor and import anchor to determine whether data stored by the data storage system has been modified.