Mobile Storage Media Clear Text Header for Secure Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing mobile data storage media, such as tapes, is challenging when identifying information is lost or corrupted, leading to unauthorized access and data security breaches, especially since existing methods rely on decryption keys that can be compromised or difficult to manage.
Innovation Solution
A mobile storage element is formatted with a dedicated space for clear text header information, including attributes, and a separate space for encrypted user data, using an encryption engine to secure the data and a moniker with a Message Authentication Code (MAC) to ensure integrity and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If decryption keys are used to secure encrypted data on mobile storage media, then data security is improved, but the complexity of managing and protecting the decryption keys increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from the encrypted data structure by introducing a separate clear text header space. This header contains a moniker that can be read without decryption keys, separating the identification task from the security-protected data area and eliminating the need to manage keys for identification purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a moniker as an intermediary element between the storage media and the system managing it. This moniker, stored in clear text in the header, serves as a mediator that enables identification and tracking of the storage media without requiring access to encrypted data or decryption keys.
2Reliability
If header information is stored in encrypted form to maintain security, then data security is improved, but the ability to identify and access the storage media deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage media into two distinct spaces: a clear text header space for identification information and an encrypted data space for protected content. This segmentation allows the header to be accessed and read without decryption keys, improving ease of operation for identification while maintaining security for the actual data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different security qualities to different parts of the storage media. The header space is designated as clear text with no encryption, making it easily accessible for identification. The data space maintains full encryption for security. This local differentiation of security properties resolves the contradiction between identifiability and security.
3Ease of operation
If a clear text header space is created for identification, then ease of media identification is improved, but the storage space available for encrypted data is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by creating a header space that is sufficient for identification purposes but not excessively large. The clear text header contains only essential identification information (moniker, MAC, attributes) rather than redundant data, minimizing the space consumed while ensuring adequate identification capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A storage library is provided for formatting a mobile data storage element, such as a tape, with a first space dedicated for clear text or text as received by a host, such as an Independent Software Vender, wherein the first space is intended to accommodate header information which includes attributes about the mobile storage element. The data storage element is also formatted with a second space for storing encrypted or conditioned user data. The storage library further generally includes an encryption engine for encrypting data received from a host computer, a plurality of data storage elements, and at least two drives for storing data on the data storage elements.