Proxy Session Data Encryption with User Keys

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Solution Overview

Problem

Proxy servers generate session activity data that may include private user data, posing security concerns due to potential exposure to third parties and persistent storage risks.

Innovation Solution

A proxy server apparatus allows users to encrypt session activity data using their own encryption keys, ensuring that only the user can access the encrypted data, thereby preventing unauthorized access and persistent storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If proxy servers store session activity data for access by administrators or networks, then data availability and utility are improved, but security and privacy are worsened due to potential exposure to third parties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata availabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by encrypting session activity data with user-provided encryption keys before the data is stored on the proxy server. This encryption occurs in advance, so when the data is later accessed by administrators or stored persistently, it remains protected. The user's encryption key is used to encrypt the data before storage, preventing third parties from accessing the private information even though the data is stored on the proxy server infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If encryption keys are owned by third-party proxy servers, then data access and management are simplified, but user privacy and security control are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata managementVSAvoidprivacy protection

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the conventional approach by having users provide their own encryption keys instead of the proxy server managing encryption keys. Typically, the service provider (proxy server) holds the keys for ease of management, but this creates a trust issue. The patent reverses this by having the user hold the encryption keys, so even though the proxy server stores the encrypted data, only the user can decrypt and access it. This inversion prioritizes user privacy control over operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If session activity data is stored persistently on proxy servers, then data retention and accessibility are improved, but exposure risk to malevolent actors increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata retentionVSAvoidexposure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-encrypting the session activity data with user-provided encryption keys before storage. This creates a protective barrier in advance against potential threats. When the encrypted data is stored persistently on the proxy server, malevolent actors who might gain access to the server cannot read or misuse the data because it is encrypted with keys that only the legitimate user possesses. The encryption is applied beforehand to counteract the inherent risk of persistent storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS12301667B2Encryption of proxy session activity data using user-provided encryption keys

Publication Date: 2025.05.13 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor and a memory on which are stored machine-readable instructions that when executed by the processor, may cause the processor to obtain an encryption key from a user. The processor may identify session activity data during a proxy session of the user and may encrypt the identified session activity data using the encryption key obtained from the user. The processor may store the encrypted session activity data.