Distributed Key Management With Smart-Contract Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data sharing systems face vulnerabilities due to external hacking and misuse, and manual key provisioning processes are cumbersome and time-consuming, leading to inefficiencies in secure data exchange and access management.
Innovation Solution
A distributed key management system using distributed ledger technology (DLT) separates encryption and decryption keys, utilizing blockchain for immutability and smart contracts for real-time access control, ensuring secure and efficient data sharing among entities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual key provisioning is used, then security control is maintained, but key distribution becomes cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-generating and storing public keys on the distributed ledger before they are needed for data encryption. This eliminates the need for real-time manual key provisioning, reducing key distribution time while maintaining security through the immutable ledger.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed ledger acts as an intermediary between key generation and key distribution. Instead of manual provisioning, the ledger automatically manages public key storage and retrieval, streamlining the process while maintaining security through its decentralized and immutable nature.
2Ease of operation
If centralized key management is used, then key distribution is simplified, but security vulnerabilities increase due to single points of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments key management functions across multiple decentralized nodes in the distributed ledger network. Instead of a single centralized authority, each node maintains a copy of the public keys, eliminating single points of failure while maintaining ease of access through the networked structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed ledger serves as a decentralized intermediary that simplifies key distribution while enhancing security. It provides automated key retrieval mechanisms that are easier to operate than manual processes, while its distributed architecture eliminates the security vulnerabilities of centralized systems.
3Reliability
If data is encrypted with receiver's public key, then secure transmission is achieved, but key exchange requires manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing the receiver's public key on the distributed ledger in advance. When data needs to be encrypted, the sender can automatically retrieve the pre-stored public key from the ledger without manual intervention, maintaining secure transmission while simplifying the key exchange process.
Solution Approach 2:
The distributed ledger acts as an intermediary that stores public keys for automatic retrieval. This eliminates the need for manual key exchange while maintaining secure transmission, as the automated retrieval process reduces human intervention and potential errors.
4Adaptability or versatility
If third-party services are accessed with data access permissions, then service functionality is enabled, but data exposure risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the encryption key from the data itself, storing only the public key on the distributed ledger while keeping the private key secure with the data owner. This allows third-party services to access encrypted data without exposing the decryption key, enabling service functionality while minimizing data exposure risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different security qualities to different parts of the data access system. Public keys are made widely accessible on the ledger for service functionality, while private keys remain locally secured with data owners. This differentiation enables versatile service access while maintaining strong security where needed.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for securely managing and administering an encryption/decryption key using distributed ledger technology (DLT). In some examples, a client may possess a data attribute (or a dataset of data attributes). The client may receive tokenization parameters to apply to the data attribute to encrypt the data attribute. After tokenizing the data attribute, the client may then request the creation of an encryption key to be applied to the token. A third-party key management system (KMS) may create an encryption key and a salt. The salt may be applied to the token, and the salted token may then be encrypted. Additionally, a decryption key may be created and stored securely at the third-party KMS. The client may transmit the encrypted token to a third-party consolidation platform, wherein the consolidation platform requests access to the decryption key to unveil the underlying token.