Field-Level Encryption for Reformatting Lender Output Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing encryption methods prevent data manipulation and reformatting without decryption, limiting flexibility and security in data handling.
Innovation Solution
A method of encrypting data that allows for flexible formatting by using a first data key to encrypt sensitive data while leaving non-sensitive data unencrypted, storing encryption metadata with paths to encrypted data, and enabling reformatting without decryption, followed by decryption using a decrypted data key.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is encrypted at the object or file level, then data security is improved, but data manipulation and reformatting capabilities deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data object into multiple data elements, applying encryption selectively at the field level rather than encrypting the entire object. This allows certain sensitive fields to be encrypted while leaving other fields unencrypted, enabling manipulation of unencrypted fields without decryption keys while maintaining security of encrypted fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements differential encryption where different data elements within the same data object have different encryption states. Sensitive data elements are encrypted while non-sensitive elements remain unencrypted, allowing intermediate systems to manipulate unencrypted elements while encrypted elements remain protected. This local quality approach resolves the contradiction by making encryption property local rather than global.
2Reliability
If encryption keys are required for data manipulation, then data security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data elements into sensitive and non-sensitive categories, applying encryption only to sensitive elements. This segmentation allows intermediate systems to manipulate non-sensitive elements without requiring decryption keys, improving ease of operation while maintaining security for sensitive elements through selective encryption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate representation where data elements are marked with encryption metadata indicating their encryption state. This intermediary layer allows systems to identify and manipulate unencrypted elements without needing access to encryption keys, while encrypted elements are clearly marked and protected. The metadata acts as a mediator that enables operation differentiation without key requirements.
3Reliability
If all data in a data object is encrypted, then data security is improved, but data manipulation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies encryption locally to only those data elements that require protection rather than encrypting the entire data object. Each data element can have its own encryption state, allowing the system to maintain security for sensitive elements while enabling free manipulation of non-sensitive elements, thus resolving the all-or-nothing encryption dilemma.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the data object into discrete data elements with individual encryption attributes. This segmentation allows the system to encrypt only sensitive elements while leaving non-sensitive elements unencrypted, enabling manipulation of the latter without decryption keys and maintaining overall data security through selective encryption of critical elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-lender architecture is configured to provide a loan applicant with automated pre-qualification and automobile loan eligibility evaluation for multiple candidate lenders. Lender output data may include sensitive data. The lender output data is stored in a data object of a first format and one or more fields of the data object are encrypted at the field level. The encrypted data object may be transmitted through multiple application layers or terminals. The encrypted data object may be reformatted at one or more application layers or terminals without decryption. A reformatted encrypted data object containing the lender output data may be decrypted at the last layer before forwarding the lender output data to the loan applicant.