Multi-Node Relay System for Blockchain Data Integrity
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Blockchain networks face security issues and scalability challenges when accessing external data sources due to the need for individual client authentication of relay agents, which can lead to service unavailability and potential DDoS attacks.
Innovation Solution
A multi-node relay system with remote attestation for each node, operating in a trusted execution environment, eliminates the need for individual client authentication and ensures data integrity through digital signatures, thereby enhancing security and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual client authentication of relay agents is implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity and resource overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay agent as an intermediary component that sits between the smart contract and external data sources. The relay agent handles authentication and data retrieval operations, allowing the smart contract to interact with external sources without directly implementing authentication logic. This mediator approach improves security while reducing the complexity burden on individual clients and smart contracts.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay agent is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple clients and smart contracts simultaneously. Instead of each client implementing its own authentication mechanism, a single relay agent provides authentication services to multiple parties, reducing overall system complexity and resource overhead while maintaining security standards.
2Reliability
If individual client authentication of relay agents is required, then security is improved, but scalability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By positioning the relay agent as an intermediary that centralizes authentication functionality, the system enables scalable operations. Multiple clients can interact with external data sources through the same relay agent without requiring individual authentication implementations, thus maintaining security while improving scalability.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay agent autonomously handles authentication and data retrieval operations without requiring active participation or authentication logic from each client. This self-service capability allows the relay agent to manage multiple clients efficiently, improving system scalability while maintaining security standards.
3Device complexity
If a single relay agent is used for data retrieval, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to service unavailability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the relay agent functionality into multiple independent relay agents instead of using a single centralized agent. Each relay agent can operate independently, and if one fails, others can continue to serve clients. This segmentation maintains relatively simple system architecture while significantly improving service availability and reliability.
4Ease of operation
If direct contact between users and relay system nodes is established, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates due to exposure to DDoS attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The relay agent serves as an intermediary that shields smart contracts and clients from direct exposure to external data sources and potential attacks. Clients can easily access external data through the relay agent without needing to know or manage the underlying node infrastructure, maintaining ease of operation while improving security by hiding the actual system nodes from direct user contact.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for enhancing blockchain network security. Implementations include receiving a request for data from the data source, transmitting the request to a relay system that is external to the blockchain network and that includes a multi-node cluster including a plurality of relay system nodes, receiving a result provided from a relay system node, the result being digitally signed using a private key of the relay system node, verifying that the relay system node is registered, verifying an integrity of the result based on a public key of the relay system node and a digital signature of the result in response to verifying that the relay system node is registered, and transmitting the result to a client in response to verifying the integrity of the result.