Hybrid Encryption Schema for Secure Data Storage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data encryption methods, such as symmetric and asymmetric encryption, face challenges in balancing security and efficiency, particularly in sharing sensitive data among multiple parties, where symmetric encryption provides less security and asymmetric encryption is resource-intensive and slow, leading to increased maintenance costs and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A hybrid encryption system that uses a secret key for symmetric encryption of data and asymmetric encryption of the secret key and symmetric encryption information to produce a key block, stored in a ciphertext file with a predefined schema, allowing for efficient and secure storage, retrieval, and sharing of sensitive data using a security server for additional security measures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If asymmetric encryption is used to encrypt sensitive data, then security is improved, but encryption time and resource consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidencryption time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The encryption process is segmented into two parts: symmetric encryption for the actual data (fast) and asymmetric encryption only for the key (fast). This divides the workload to optimize both security and speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A symmetric key acts as an intermediary between the plaintext data and the asymmetric encryption system. The symmetric key enables fast encryption of data while asymmetric encryption protects the key itself, bridging the gap between speed and security requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If symmetric encryption is used to encrypt sensitive data, then encryption speed is improved, but security is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveencryption speedVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The encryption system is segmented so that symmetric encryption handles data processing (speed) while asymmetric encryption handles key protection (security). This segmentation allows each algorithm to operate in its optimal performance zone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The symmetric key serves as an intermediary that enables fast symmetric encryption while being protected by asymmetric encryption. This intermediary approach allows the system to leverage the speed of symmetric encryption without sacrificing the security benefits of asymmetric encryption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If asymmetric encryption is used for all data, then security is improved, but resource consumption and maintenance costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidresource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The encryption resources are segmented by function: symmetric encryption algorithms (resource-efficient) handle bulk data while asymmetric encryption algorithms (resource-intensive) handle only key management. This segmentation dramatically reduces overall resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The symmetric key as an intermediary allows the system to use resource-efficient symmetric encryption for data processing while minimizing the use of resource-intensive asymmetric encryption to only what is necessary for key protection and exchange.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple parties share sensitive data, then data accessibility is improved, but security management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoidsecurity management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The hybrid encryption system provides universal functionality for multi-party data sharing. The same asymmetric encryption mechanism can protect keys for any number of parties, and the symmetric encryption efficiently handles the actual data sharing, making the system adaptable to various sharing scenarios without increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The symmetric key acts as a universal intermediary that can be encrypted with different asymmetric keys for different parties. This allows multiple parties to access the same data securely without requiring complex individual encryption schemes for each party.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9811680B2Secure storage and sharing of data by hybrid encryption using predefined schema

Publication Date: 2017.11.07 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

The claimed subject matter includes techniques for storing, retrieving and sharing files. An example system includes a key generator module to generate a secret key. The example system also includes a symmetric encryption module to encrypt raw data by symmetric encryption using the secret key. The example system further includes an asymmetric encryption module to encrypt the secret key and symmetric encryption information by asymmetric encryption using a public key to produce a key block. The examples system also further includes a schema module to generate a ciphertext file with predefined schema including asymmetric encryption information, the key-block, and the encrypted raw data. The example system also includes a storage module to send the ciphertext file including the encrypted raw data to a server for storage.