Distributed Ledger Storage for Tamper Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote data storage sites in computing systems act as a single point of failure and attack surface for malicious actors, exposing private or sensitive data from multiple devices, and existing backup solutions are prone to corruption and security breaches.
Innovation Solution
Utilizing a distributed ledger system with cryptography-based architecture to store encrypted data, creating an immutable chain of blocks that detects any modification, thereby securing data from tampering and reducing the attack surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is stored in a remote data site for backup, then data loss prevention is improved, but security and vulnerability to attacks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized remote data site into multiple distributed nodes across a blockchain network. Each node stores copies of the encrypted data, eliminating the single point of failure while distributing security risks across multiple independent locations rather than concentrating them in one vulnerable site.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptography as an intermediary layer between the data and storage nodes. Data is encrypted before distribution, and only authorized parties with decryption keys can access the information. This intermediary mechanism protects the data even if storage nodes are compromised, addressing the security vulnerability while maintaining reliability.
2Ease of operation
If centralized remote storage is used, then data accessibility is improved, but attack surface exposure worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized storage system is segmented into multiple distributed nodes across the blockchain network. Data accessibility is maintained through the distributed nature of the ledger where any node can access the data, while the attack surface is reduced by eliminating the single centralized target that hackers would otherwise focus on.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional centralized storage model to a multi-dimensional distributed network model. Data is accessible across multiple dimensions (multiple nodes, multiple locations, multiple copies) while the attack surface is effectively reduced by spreading the vulnerability across dimensions rather than concentrating it in one location.
3Reliability
If data is stored in blockchain ledger, then data integrity is improved, but storage complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by encrypting data before storing it in the blockchain ledger. This pre-encryption step ensures data integrity and security are built into the storage process from the beginning, rather than requiring complex verification mechanisms later. The cryptographic hashing inherent in blockchain structure also preliminarily establishes integrity checks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by distributing identical encrypted data copies across multiple blockchain nodes. This copying mechanism simplifies the integrity verification process because any node can serve as a source of truth, and the blockchain's inherent consensus mechanisms automatically verify data consistency without requiring complex external validation systems.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes systems and methods for providing distributed infrastructure services in a peer-to-peer network. A first computing device acting as a node of a distributed ledger receives, from a second computing device, an access key and an identification of one or more items of data for storage. The first computing device executes a smart contract of the distributed ledger using the access key, the smart contract recording an identification of the access key and the identification of the one or more items of data in the distributed ledger. The first computing device stores, via a peer-to-peer network, the one or more items of data responsive to execution of the smart contract.