Decommissioning Keys In Decryption Storage Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing storage systems face challenges in efficiently decommissioning keys used for data encryption, leading to issues such as data loss and I/O errors during read operations, especially in best-effort storage systems.
Innovation Solution
The system scans metadata to identify data decrypted with the key to be decommissioned, re-encrypts the data using the current key, and optionally decrypts it with a target key, modifying the metadata to reflect the target key, and then writes both the data and metadata back to the storage system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the key is decommissioned directly without re-encryption, then the key management process is simplified, but data loss occurs and I/O errors happen during read operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary scanning of metadata to identify all data encrypted with the key before decommissioning. This advance identification allows the system to prepare re-encryption operations in advance, ensuring data accessibility is maintained throughout the key decommissioning process.
Solution Approach 2:
A new target key is introduced as an intermediary between the old key and the decommissioned state. Data is re-encrypted from the old key to the target key, and metadata is updated to reference the target key. This intermediary key ensures continuous data accessibility during the transition.
2Reliability
If all data is re-encrypted when decommissioning a key, then data security is maintained, but system performance and storage efficiency decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial re-encryption only on data that is actually encrypted with the key being decommissioned, rather than re-encrypting all data in the storage system. The metadata scan identifies exactly which data requires re-encryption, avoiding unnecessary processing of already-secure data and maintaining optimal storage system performance.
3Device complexity
If metadata is not updated to reflect the target key, then the encryption process is simpler, but data loss occurs during read operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system updates metadata to reflect the target key, creating a feedback loop that ensures the encryption state is properly tracked. This metadata update provides feedback to the storage system about which key should be used for future operations, preventing data loss during read operations while maintaining a manageable encryption process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of decommissioning a key in a decryption storage system includes scanning a storage system to identify metadata associated with a current key to be decommissioned. The method further includes encrypting, with the current key, data corresponding to the metadata to generate encrypted data. The method further includes decrypting the encrypted data with a target key to generate decrypted data. The method further includes modifying, by a processing device, the metadata to identify the target key to generate modified metadata. The method further includes storing the decrypted data and the modified metadata to the storage system.