Privacy Server for User Data Authentication and Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users lack effective control over their data submitted to social media and email platforms, with concerns about data privacy, access control, and authentication, as existing technologies do not provide seamless integration for full user control and digital signing/authentications.
Innovation Solution
A data privacy, access control, and authentication system comprising privacy client and server components that allow users to create accounts, manage configuration data, and encrypt/user data with metadata and encryption keys, ensuring secure communication and authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptography is used to protect user data, then data privacy and security are improved, but system complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a privacy server as an intermediary between users and platform servers. This server manages cryptographic keys, handles encryption/decryption operations, and coordinates authentication processes. By offloading these complex cryptographic operations to a dedicated intermediary service, the system maintains strong security while reducing the complexity burden on individual user devices and simplifying the overall architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated key management where users can register, authenticate, and manage their own cryptographic keys through the privacy server without requiring manual cryptographic operations. The privacy server automatically handles key generation, storage, and rotation, enabling users to benefit from cryptographic protection through simple interface interactions rather than complex manual procedures.
2Reliability
If cryptography is used to protect user data, then data privacy is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The privacy server acts as a mediator that shields users from cryptographic complexity. It provides a user-friendly interface where users can simply register, select privacy options, and interact with platform servers without needing to understand or manually manage cryptographic operations. The privacy server handles all encryption, decryption, and key management in the background, making strong cryptography as easy to use as standard web interactions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If full user control over data access is implemented, then user autonomy is improved, but system complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data access control into fine-grained permissions that users can independently manage. Users can specify different access levels for different platform servers and different data types. The privacy server breaks down complex access control into manageable discrete permission units, allowing users to grant or revoke access on a per-server or per-data-type basis without managing a monolithic complex permission system.
Solution Approach 2:
The access control system is designed to be dynamic and adaptable. Users can modify their privacy preferences and access permissions at any time through the privacy server interface. The system automatically updates cryptographic keys and access policies in response to user actions, enabling flexible real-time control over data sharing without requiring system reconfiguration or complex manual intervention.
4Reliability
If digital signing and authentication are implemented, then data authenticity is improved, but computational overhead worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs digital signing and authentication operations in advance during the key exchange and data submission phases. The privacy server pre-computes cryptographic signatures when users submit data to platform servers, and pre-establishes authentication credentials. This preliminary cryptographic work eliminates the need for repeated heavy computational authentication during data retrieval and viewing, reducing real-time computational overhead while maintaining strong authenticity guarantees.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for insuring privacy, access control, and authentication for electronic user data submitted to social media platforms, email systems, web sites, and other electronics and software based communication and storage systems is provided. Control over user data is provided such that the user can determine which other users may have access to the data, and only such permitted users will be able to access the data. All other parties, including the operators of the system platform in use, will not be able to view the submitted data. Authentication is provided such that the viewer of the data is ensured that the author of the data is in fact the author indicated in the data, and that the data has not been modified since it was submitted. Data privacy, access control, and authentication is provided in a seamless and convenient manner for both the author and recipients of the data.