LECC Content Obfuscation for Integrity-Aware Digital Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional cryptography methods alone are insufficient in ensuring the security of digital content, as they may expose data to attackers with significant computing resources, leading to potential unauthorized access, modification, or destruction.

Innovation Solution

The use of linear error correction codes (LECCs), such as cyclical redundancy check (CRC) checksums, is employed to enhance digital content security by generating multiple checksums with different generator polynomials, injecting LECCs into the content, partitioning and randomizing data blocks, and inserting extraneous data or altering bits, making it difficult for unauthorized entities to process or validate the content without knowledge of the generator polynomials or location.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cryptography alone is used to secure digital content, then the digital content can be encrypted and decrypted by authorized entities, but the digital content remains vulnerable to attackers with significant computing resources who can guess cryptographic keys

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity of digital contentVSAvoidvulnerability to key guessing attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the digital content into multiple blocks and generates separate LECC checksums for each block using different generator polynomials. This segmentation means that even if an attacker compromises one block's checksum, they cannot validate the entire content without knowing all the generator polynomials and their corresponding locations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameters by using multiple different generator polynomials (g1(x), g2(x), g3(x), etc.) instead of a single polynomial. Each block is validated against its specific generator polynomial, and the receiver must know which polynomial corresponds to which block location to successfully validate the content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple LECC checksums with different generator polynomials are generated for different blocks of digital content, then the receiver computing system cannot validate the digital content without knowledge of the generator polynomials, but the complexity of the validation process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobfuscation of digital contentVSAvoidcomplexity of validation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent embeds metadata within the digital content that contains information about the locations of the LECC checksums and their corresponding generator polynomials. This preliminary action allows the receiver computing system to automatically retrieve and use the correct generator polynomials without requiring complex external lookup or manual configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If LECC is injected into the digital content rather than appended, then the receiver computing system must have knowledge of the LECC location to process the content, but the difficulty of locating and extracting the LECC increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity enhancement through obfuscationVSAvoiddifficulty of locating LECC

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses distinct bit patterns or markers that 'stand out' within the digital content to indicate the locations of injected LECC checksums. These markers act like visual indicators, allowing the receiver computing system to quickly identify and extract the checksums from their injected locations without having to search through the entire content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

4Reliability

If the digital content is partitioned into blocks and the order of blocks and LECCs is randomized, then the receiver computing system cannot process the content without reordering, but the processing time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobfuscation through spreadingVSAvoidtime required for reordering

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent includes metadata that records the original positions and identities of blocks and their corresponding LECC checksums before randomization. This preliminary information allows the receiver computing system to efficiently reorder the blocks and checksums by simply following the metadata instructions, rather than requiring complex algorithms to determine the correct sequence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11341217B1Enhancing obfuscation of digital content through use of linear error correction codes

Publication Date: 2022.05.24 NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS OF SANDIA LLC

AI summary

Technologies related to enhancing security of digital content are described. Linear error correction codes (LECCs) are employed for dual purposes: 1) to obfuscate digital content; and 2) to verify integrity of the digital content. A transmitter computing system obfuscates digital content based upon an obfuscation protocol, wherein the obfuscated digital content includes an LECC. A receiver computing system deobfuscates the digital content by performing the inverse of the obfuscation protocol.