Multiplication Encryption for Composable SQL Queries

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current database encryption methods fail to securely support composable SQL queries, especially in cloud storage scenarios, where user privacy is at risk due to inadequate encryption solutions and inefficient operation on encrypted data.

Innovation Solution

A database encryption method using multiplication encryption with random row and column keys, allowing users to securely upload and process encrypted data, enabling composable SQL queries, updates, and searches without revealing sensitive information to service providers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If data is stored without encryption in service providers, then operation efficiency and query performance are improved, but user privacy security deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequery performanceVSAvoiduser privacy security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces multiplication encryption as an intermediary mechanism between plaintext data and ciphertext storage. The encryption scheme acts as a mediator that allows the service provider to store and process encrypted data without accessing the plaintext, thus maintaining both security and operational capability. The multiplication homomorphism property enables queries to be performed on ciphertext directly, serving as an intermediary computation mode that bridges security and efficiency requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter state of data from plaintext to ciphertext through multiplication encryption. By transforming data into encrypted form while preserving mathematical structures (multiplication homomorphism), the system enables security-enhanced storage without completely losing computational capabilities. The encryption parameters (public key, private key) are introduced to control the transformation between secure storage state and queryable state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If data is encrypted and stored in the service provider, then user privacy security is improved, but operation capability and query efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser privacy securityVSAvoidoperation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The multiplication encryption scheme serves as an intermediary that enables the service provider to perform operations on encrypted data without decryption. The encryption mechanism mediates between the need for security (keeping data encrypted) and the need for operation capability (performing queries), allowing both parties to interact with encrypted data in meaningful ways while maintaining security guarantees.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the encrypted database universally operable by supporting multiple SQL query types (selection, projection, join, aggregation) on ciphertext. The multiplication encryption provides multi-functionality by enabling not only secure storage but also various computational operations including equality comparisons, arithmetic operations, and set operations, all while maintaining data confidentiality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If multiplication encryption is used to encrypt database, then encryption security is improved, but query composition capability and operational flexibility deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveencryption securityVSAvoidquery composition capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves universal query composition capability under multiplication encryption by supporting diverse SQL operations including SELECT, WHERE, JOIN, GROUP BY, and HAVING clauses. The encryption scheme provides multi-functionality by enabling equality comparisons, arithmetic operations, and logical operations on ciphertext, allowing complex composed queries to be constructed and executed while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing data during the encryption phase to embed queryable structures within the ciphertext. The multiplication encryption is applied in advance to transform plaintext into a form that preserves mathematical relationships, enabling subsequent query operations to be composed and executed without decryption. This preliminary transformation enables flexible query composition while maintaining security throughout the query process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11734448B2Method for encrypting database supporting composable SQL query
Publication Date: 2023.08.22 ZHEJIANG UNIV

AI summary

Disclosed is a database encryption method supporting composable SQL query, which mainly comprises the following steps: (1) a user encrypting and preprocessing data based on the encryption scheme provided by the present disclosure and uploading an encryption result and preprocessed data to a service provider; (2) setting and uploading a SQL query instructions: the user uploads the query instruction to the service provider according to actual needs, and uploads auxiliary parameters for the query instruction at the same time; (3) data query: the service provider performs SQL query according to the query instruction and auxiliary parameters received from the user, saves a calculation result, updates the data and returns a query result to the user.