Proxy Blockchain Access With Key Mediation for Third Parties
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blockchains are inefficient and cumbersome for third parties to access, especially when owned and managed by a single stakeholder, as they require awkward and inefficient processes to read from or add data, and there is a lack of secure and convenient access for third parties to private blockchains.
Innovation Solution
A framework is provided that allows authorized third parties to directly engage an automated blockchain interface through a proxy application, which manages encryption keys and mediates access, enabling secure and curated access to blockchains, even across multiple stakeholders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a blockchain is owned and managed by a single stakeholder with direct access controls, then data security and confidentiality are improved, but accessibility and ease of operation for third parties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy application as an intermediary between third parties and the blockchain. The proxy application receives requests from third parties, obtains appropriate encryption keys from a key management application, and mediates the access to the blockchain on behalf of third parties. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining security through controlled key access while enabling convenient third-party access through the proxy interface.
2Reliability
If encryption keys are managed centrally by a key management application, then security and control are improved, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The key management application operates autonomously to manage encryption keys. When the proxy application needs a key, it independently queries the key management application, receives the appropriate key, and uses it without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates key distribution based on request patterns and blockchain ownership, reducing operational overhead while maintaining centralized security control.
3Productivity
If third parties can directly access the blockchain without mediation, then operational efficiency is improved, but security risks and unauthorized access increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy application serves as a security intermediary that all third-party requests must pass through. It validates requests, obtains appropriate encryption keys from the key management application, and executes access on behalf of third parties. This maintains security by ensuring all access is mediated and authorized, while preserving efficiency through automated key management and proxy-based execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback loops where the proxy application queries the key management application for appropriate keys based on request characteristics, and the key management application responds with keys tailored to the specific access needs. This feedback mechanism ensures security requirements are met while maintaining operational efficiency through automated, context-aware key selection.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing access to a blockchain to a third party. The method comprises receiving by a first application a request from the third party to read data from the blockchain, wherein the request identifies an item of data stored in the blockchain; sending by the first application a request to obtain a first encryption key that is operable to decrypt the item of data; receiving the item of data by the first application from a second application; decrypting the item of data by the first application using the first encryption key; identifying a first part and a second part of the item of data by the first application; encrypting the first part of the item of data by the first application using a second encryption key; and sending the encrypted first part of the item of data by the first application to the third party.