Envelope-Based Encryption Key Management for Security-Performance Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data security systems face challenges in maintaining up-to-date cryptographic protocols, particularly in client computers, and struggle with unauthorized access in server-side encryption, especially when client credentials are compromised or misconfigured.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an envelope-based encryption scheme that uses a data encryption key server to manage and update encryption keys, allowing for client-side or server-side encryption based on a trust score, and provides pluggable cipher suites to ensure secure data transmission and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If server-side encryption is used to provide higher cryptography performance, then encryption speed is improved, but data security against unauthorized access with stolen credentials deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption system is segmented into two distinct modes: server-side encryption for performance-critical operations and client-side encryption for security-critical operations. This segmentation allows each mode to optimize for its specific purpose without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between speed and security
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects between server-side and client-side encryption based on real-time conditions such as trust scores, data sensitivity, and security requirements. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to achieve high performance when appropriate while maintaining strong security when needed
2Reliability
If client-side encryption is used to protect against unauthorized access, then data security is improved, but cryptography performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments encryption operations by placing performance-intensive cryptographic operations on the server using specialized hardware while keeping security-sensitive key management and decryption logic on the client, thus achieving both security and performance
Solution Approach 2:
A key management service acts as an intermediary between clients and servers, handling key distribution and rotation. This intermediary enables clients to perform encryption without bearing the full cryptographic performance burden, while maintaining client-side security controls
3Reliability
If cryptographic protocols are frequently updated to respond to security threats, then security is improved, but system compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The envelope encryption format is designed to be universally compatible across different cryptographic protocols and versions. The standardized envelope structure allows the same data format to work with multiple encryption schemes, maintaining compatibility while allowing protocol updates
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary cryptographic operations such as key generation and envelope creation with built-in forward compatibility considerations. This preliminary preparation ensures that future protocol updates can be adopted without breaking existing systems
Data Source
AI summary
The present document describes systems and methods that, in some situations, improve data security. In one embodiment, communications between a client and a server are encrypted using an envelope-based encryption scheme. The envelope includes: a data encryption key reference; and data encrypted with a corresponding data encryption key. A data encryption key server maintains a collection of data encryption keys that are accessible using corresponding data encryption key references. In another embodiment, a storage server maintains stored data using the envelope-based encryption scheme. The stored data is made available to particular clients in encrypted or plaintext form based at least in part on a trust score determined for each client's request. In yet another embodiment, as a result of a secure transport handshake, a client is provided with a pluggable cipher suite.