Homomorphic Encryption for Secure Database Query Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing database systems struggle to securely mix and process both secure and insecure data operations at a server, maintaining data privacy while allowing for homomorphic cryptography on numerical values, as current methods lose security over time and cannot efficiently handle mixed data operations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a client-side module that encrypts queries and data before sending them to the server, using homomorphic encryption schemes like Paillier's to perform operations on encrypted data, ensuring the server cannot decrypt or determine the actual values, while supporting a range of query types and maintaining scalable performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If homomorphic cryptography is applied to encrypt numerical values, then data privacy is improved, but the ability to perform operations on encrypted data deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments numerical values into individual bits and processes them separately through homomorphic encryption. Each bit is encrypted independently, allowing the server to perform bitwise operations on encrypted data without decrypting, thus maintaining both privacy and operational capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion process that transforms encrypted numerical values into a format suitable for homomorphic operations. This intermediary representation enables the server to perform computations on encrypted data while the client can later decrypt the results
2Reliability
If all data is stored encrypted in the database, then data security is improved, but query processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic query processing that adapts based on the encryption state of data. The system can handle both encrypted and unencrypted data within the same database, adjusting processing methods according to the specific query requirements and data states
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data representation by converting numerical values to their bit-level components for encryption. This parameter transformation allows standard database operations to work with encrypted data by operating on individual bits rather than complete numerical values
3Loss of information
If homomorphic encryption is used on numerical values, then confidentiality is maintained, but computational efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial encryption by encrypting only the necessary portions of data (individual bits or specific fields) rather than entire numerical values. This selective approach reduces the computational overhead while maintaining confidentiality where required
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates intermediate copies of encrypted data in a specialized format that optimizes for homomorphic operations. These copied representations enable efficient bitwise operations while the original encrypted values remain protected, separating the confidentiality function from the computational function
Data Source
AI summary
Homomorphic cryptography on numerical values in digital computing is described, including converting a numerical value encoded in a bit string of a first size to another bit string of a second size, which is different from the first size; encrypting the numerical value in the another bit string to produce a ciphertext; and storing the ciphertext.