Data Integrity Verification via Embedded Markers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data integrity measures are costly and resource-intensive, and they fail to effectively detect malicious data manipulation attacks that can occur below the application layers, such as in the hypervisor or storage systems, making it difficult to maintain data consistency and accuracy across its lifecycle.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses 'markers' written at known locations within the data to verify integrity across different network layers, allowing for real-time cross verification between layers to detect any changes or tampering, thereby providing a comprehensive data protection mechanism without significant performance or storage overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional data integrity measures (cryptography, physical control, administrative control) are implemented, then data consistency and accuracy are maintained, but system resources are overly consumed and administrative costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data integrity verification into two distinct components: markers embedded within data blocks and verification operations performed by the data protection layer. This segmentation allows the system to verify data integrity through simple marker comparison rather than complex cryptographic operations, reducing system resource consumption while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces markers as intermediary elements that serve as proof of data integrity. These markers act as mediators between the data storage layer and the verification layer, enabling the data protection layer to verify data integrity without directly examining the entire data content or using complex cryptographic protocols
2Reliability
If traditional data integrity measures are implemented, then data manipulation is prevented, but the measures are expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding markers into data blocks at the time of data creation or storage. This pre-positioning of verification elements eliminates the need for time-consuming cryptographic verification operations during data access, as the data protection layer can immediately compare markers against their expected values
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple, lightweight markers as disposable verification elements. These markers are basic data structures that can be quickly generated, stored, and compared, replacing expensive and time-consuming cryptographic hash functions or digital signature verification while maintaining data integrity assurance
3Speed
If markers are used for data verification, then detection speed is improved, but additional storage is required for marker data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by embedding markers only at specific, strategic locations within data blocks rather than throughout the entire data set. This selective placement minimizes the additional storage required while maintaining effective verification capability, as markers are positioned to provide maximum verification value with minimum overhead
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments for detecting malicious modification of data in a network, by: setting, by a first layer of network resources, a number of markers associated with input/output (I/O) operations of the network; saving the markers, location, and associated metadata in a marker database; reading, by a second layer of the network resources, the markers corresponding to relevant I/O operations; and verifying each scanned I/O operation against a corresponding marker to determine whether or not data for a scanned specific I/O operation has been improperly modified for the first and second layers and any intermediate layer resulting in a fault condition, and if so, taking remedial action to flag or abort the specific I/O operation.