Hybrid Encryption with Blockchain Key Management
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current encryption methods, such as symmetric and asymmetric encryption, face limitations in data security and convenience, with symmetric encryption being insecure due to key vulnerability and asymmetric encryption being limited to single-user decryption.
Innovation Solution
A data protection system that uses a combination of symmetric encryption for file encryption and decryption, with asymmetric keys to secure the symmetric key itself, and blockchain for secure key management and verification, allowing multiple users to decrypt files while ensuring data integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If symmetric encryption is used to encrypt and decrypt files with the same key, then the encryption process is simple and fast, but the security is low because the key can be obtained from several sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the encryption system into two separate parts: a symmetric encryption layer for fast file encryption and an asymmetric encryption layer for secure key protection. The symmetric key is encrypted separately using asymmetric encryption, separating the functions of fast encryption and secure key management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines symmetric encryption and asymmetric encryption into a hybrid encryption system. This composite approach leverages the speed advantage of symmetric encryption and the security advantage of asymmetric encryption, creating a system that achieves both high productivity and high reliability.
2Reliability
If asymmetric encryption is used with public and private keys, then data security is improved, but the system is limited to one private user for decryption and cannot be used by multiple people
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the decryption access by creating separate asymmetric key pairs for each user. Each user has their own private key that can decrypt the symmetric key, allowing multiple users to access the encrypted file independently without interfering with each other.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the encryption system universal by allowing multiple users to decrypt the same encrypted file. Each user can use their own private key to decrypt the symmetric key, enabling the system to serve multiple users simultaneously while maintaining security.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple asymmetric key pairs are used for multi-user decryption, then multi-user access is enabled, but the device complexity increases due to key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a blockchain as an intermediary system to manage asymmetric key pairs. The blockchain serves as a centralized ledger that stores and verifies key information, eliminating the need for complex local key management systems and reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain system provides self-service key management by automatically verifying key validity and managing user access rights. The system autonomously handles key distribution and validation without requiring complex manual intervention or centralized authority.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of protecting data applied in a computer device is provided. A designated file is encrypted by using a symmetric key to obtain an encrypted file. The symmetric key is encrypted by using a first public key of a first pair of keys and a first ciphertext is obtained. Information related to the designated file is obtained, and the related information of the designated file is uploaded to a blockchain. When decrypting the encrypted file, the related information of the designated file is downloaded from the blockchain to obtain the related information of the designated file. The symmetric key is obtained by decrypting a first ciphertext of the related information by using a first private key of the first pair of keys, and a decrypted file is obtained by decrypting the encrypted file by using the symmetric key.