Obfuscating Data Store Access via Dummy Operations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software applications in white-box environments are vulnerable to goal-directed tampering, as interactions between the application and data store are visible to attackers, allowing them to analyze and potentially hack the system by tracking data store access patterns.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that includes real and dummy access operations to the data store, where dummy operations are interspersed with real operations, creating a masked access pattern that obscures the actual usage, making it difficult for attackers to distinguish between them and thereby frustrate analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dummy access operations are interspersed with real operations to obfuscate access patterns, then security and tamper-resistance are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetamper-resistanceVSAvoidaccess operation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between the application and data store that mediates all access operations. This intermediary generates and manages dummy operations to mask real access patterns, thereby improving tamper-resistance while isolating the complexity from the main application logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes parameters of access operations by varying the timing, frequency, and characteristics of dummy operations. This makes it difficult for attackers to analyze patterns while allowing legitimate operations to proceed normally, resolving the contradiction between security and operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If dummy access operations are generated and executed, then access obfuscation is improved, but processing time and productivity are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddata access efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by generating dummy operations at selective intervals rather than continuously. This provides sufficient obfuscation to maintain security while minimizing the overhead on legitimate data access operations, thus preserving productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Dummy access operations are generated periodically rather than continuously, creating obfuscation bursts that are sufficient for security purposes while allowing normal operations to proceed with minimal interruption. This periodic approach balances security enhancement with maintaining data access efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10089495B2Obfuscating access to a data store by a software application

Publication Date: 2018.10.02 IRDETO BV

AI summary

There is described a method of obfuscating access to a data store by a software application. The method comprises accessing the data store using access operations. The access operations comprise real access operations and dummy access operations. Each real access operation is operable to access the data store as part of the execution of the software application. There is also described a computer program which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to carry out the above method. There is also described a computer readable medium storing the above computer program. There is also described a system configured to carry out the above method.