Cryptographic Data Structure with Branch Blockchains for Secure Edits
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional databases face security vulnerabilities and data loss issues, while cryptocurrency blockchain systems are inefficient for non-financial data storage and lack flexibility for data modifications.
Innovation Solution
A cryptographic data structure is implemented on a distributed network where data is encrypted and stored in small, flat files, allowing for branch blockchains to manage data edits, with encryption and decryption handled in local memory to enhance security and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional databases store data unencrypted, then data access and modification are efficient and flexible, but security vulnerabilities increase and data can be compromised by malicious actors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data into individual cryptographic entries, each with its own hash pointer creating a chain structure. This segmentation isolates data into discrete units that can be individually secured and tracked, preventing bulk data compromise while maintaining access efficiency through the organized chain structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic hash functions and hash pointers as intermediaries between the data and the storage structure. These intermediaries transform data into secure representations that maintain integrity without exposing the original data, creating a protective layer that enhances security while preserving data accessibility.
2Reliability
If conventional databases store data in organized structures, then data retrieval is efficient, but data corruption from outside factors can cause total loss of database data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates cryptographic copies of data through hash functions, where each cryptographic entry contains a hash of the previous entry. This copying mechanism distributes data integrity information across multiple entries in the chain, so that even if physical storage is corrupted, the hash chain can detect and potentially recover from the corruption by comparing against the distributed hash references.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preventive protection by embedding hash pointers that reference previous entries within the data structure itself. This beforehand cushioning ensures that data integrity is protected in advance against corruption from outside factors like lightning strikes or power outages, as the hash chain can detect and signal corruption before total data loss occurs.
3Reliability
If cryptocurrency blockchain systems use immutable data structures, then data security is enhanced, but data modification becomes difficult and the system is inefficient for non-financial data storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by allowing the creation of branch chains that can modify data while maintaining the overall blockchain structure. Instead of rigid immutability, the system dynamically creates alternative chains of cryptographic entries that represent data modifications, enabling flexible data updates while preserving the security and traceability characteristics of immutable blockchains.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent resolves the immutability-modification contradiction by adding a dimensional aspect through branch chains. Rather than modifying entries in place (one dimension), the system creates new branches from existing entries (another dimension), allowing data evolution while maintaining the integrity of the original chain. This dimensional approach enables both immutability of historical records and flexibility of data modification.
4Reliability
If data is encrypted and stored in distributed networks, then security is improved and data loss is reduced, but attack windows may still exist and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies homogeneity by using consistent cryptographic hash functions and uniform entry structures across all nodes in the distributed network. This homogeneous approach simplifies the system despite its distributed nature, as each node follows the same cryptographic protocols and data structure formats, reducing the complexity that would otherwise arise from heterogeneous implementations while maintaining security through widespread encryption.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for securely storing and transmitting data using a blockchain structure. The blockchain structure is operated on the local node and through SSH transmission with an arbiter server and cloud infrastructure. The local application coordinates the order of appended blocks, where each block is a flat file that uses a respective filename to indicate block order. Data entry and retrieval is performed where plaintext data is available only in local memory as decrypted through an authorized client. Data written to disk only as encrypted.