Immutable Distributed Logging via Data Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data storage systems lack adequate security and integrity, as attackers can modify or exfiltrate confidential data, and traditional approaches to datastore security are inadequate, especially when attackers attempt to mask their activity by deleting access logs.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a process of fragmenting data into segments and storing them across multiple immutable data structures, using cryptographic hash pointers to maintain data integrity and security, while allowing for low-latency reading and writing of large data sets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is stored in traditional datastores, then data access and storage are simple and efficient, but security and integrity cannot be trusted as attackers can modify or exfiltrate confidential data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments confidential data into multiple fragments and distributes them across different computing devices in a distributed network. Each fragment alone is insufficient to reconstruct the original data, providing security against unauthorized access while maintaining data availability through the distributed storage architecture.
2Reliability
If access logs are stored in traditional datastores, then logging is simple, but attackers can delete access logs to mask their activity
Solution Approach 1:
Access logs are fragmented and distributed across multiple computing devices in the network. This segmentation prevents any single attacker from deleting all logs, as the distributed architecture ensures log persistence and integrity across multiple locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by fragmenting and distributing logs before potential attacks can occur. This proactive approach ensures that even if one storage location is compromised, the logs remain intact and recoverable from other distributed locations.
3Reliability
If data is fragmented and stored across multiple immutable data structures, then security and integrity are improved, but storage and access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces intermediary components including a translator that converts between traditional database operations and the fragmented distributed storage system, and a security driver that manages authentication and authorization. These intermediaries shield users from the complexity of data fragmentation while maintaining security and integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system design allows the fragmented distributed storage system to support both traditional data access patterns and enhanced security requirements simultaneously. The translator and security driver enable the system to serve multiple functions: maintaining compatibility with existing applications while providing improved security, integrity, and audit capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a process including: receiving one or more write requests; selecting a first subset of the values as corresponding to higher-security fields; segmenting a first value in the first subset; instructing a first computing device to store a first subset of segments among the plurality of segments in memory; and instructing a second computing device to store a second subset of segments among the plurality of segments in memory.