Homomorphic Encryption for Privacy-Preserving Workflow Execution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software applications fail to effectively preserve data privacy during workflow execution, as sensitive data remains vulnerable to breaches and unauthorized access, even when encrypted, due to potential key compromises and malicious code injection.

Innovation Solution

Implementing homomorphic encryption to allow mathematical operations on encrypted data without decryption, ensuring that user-provided data remains encrypted throughout the workflow process, both during execution and storage, using cryptographic keys that prevent decryption by the software application or provider.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If data is encrypted using traditional encryption methods, then data is protected during transmission and storage, but data cannot be processed without decryption which exposes it to security risks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata privacyVSAvoidsecurity breach vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the encryption parameter from traditional symmetric/asymmetric encryption to homomorphic encryption, which allows data to maintain its encrypted state while being processed. This parameter change enables the system to protect data privacy (improving_feature) while eliminating the need to decrypt data during processing (reducing worsening_feature).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional encryption-decryption-processing- reencryption mechanical system with a homomorphic encryption system where processing occurs directly on encrypted data. This substitution eliminates the vulnerable decryption step while maintaining data usability, thus resolving the contradiction between data protection and security breach vulnerability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If cryptographic keys are retained by the software application provider for decryption, then workflow execution is enabled, but data security is compromised if keys are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow executionVSAvoiddata security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the decryption capability from the software application provider and retains it exclusively with the user. By using homomorphic encryption, the system enables workflow execution (improving_feature) while removing the provider's access to decryption keys, thus eliminating the security risk (reducing worsening_feature).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Homomorphic encryption acts as an intermediary that allows the software application to process data without having access to the plaintext. This intermediary mechanism enables workflow execution while maintaining data security, as the provider never possesses the keys needed to decrypt data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If data is decrypted for processing in remote workflows, then computation can be performed, but data becomes vulnerable to malicious code injection and exfiltration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow processingVSAvoidmalicious code vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary encryption using homomorphic encryption before data enters the workflow processing system. This preliminary action ensures that data remains encrypted throughout processing (reducing worsening_feature) while still allowing computation to proceed (maintaining improving_feature).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the traditional decrypt-process-encrypt mechanical system with a homomorphic encryption system where processing occurs on encrypted data. This substitution eliminates the vulnerability window where decrypted data could be exposed to malicious code, while maintaining full workflow processing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11379611B1Method and system for privacy-protected execution of a workflow in a software application using encrypted inputs

Publication Date: 2022.07.05 INTUIT INC

AI summary

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for privacy-preserving execution of a workflow in a software application. Embodiments include generally includes receiving homomorphically encrypted inputs from a client device corresponding to user-provided data needed to calculate a result for a step of a workflow in the software application. A result is calculated for the step of the workflow using the received homomorphically encrypted inputs. The calculated result is returned to the client device. The calculated result is homomorphically encrypted as a result of calculating the result using the received homomorphically encrypted inputs.