Sandbox Approval Workflow for Secure Production Data Copying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sandbox environments in computing networks copy entire production data without considering user authorization, leading to unauthorized data exposure and security breaches.
Innovation Solution
Implement an intelligent approval process using smart contracts on a blockchain network to authorize user access to sandbox data, determining complexity metrics and selecting approvers based on these metrics to ensure secure data access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the entire data associated with the production environment is copied to the sandbox without authorization checks, then the sandbox environment can be quickly generated with complete data, but unauthorized users may access and expose sensitive data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs authorization checks and data classification before copying data to the sandbox environment. The approval workflow is initiated in advance, and only authorized data is selected for copying based on user permissions and data sensitivity levels, preventing unauthorized exposure while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary approval workflow system is introduced between the sandbox generation request and the actual data copying process. This intermediary layer verifies user authorization, determines appropriate data scope, and obtains necessary approvals before data is copied, thus resolving the contradiction between speed and security
2Reliability
If authorization checks are performed for each data module before copying to sandbox, then data security is improved, but the sandbox generation process becomes slower and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The authorization process is segmented into distinct phases: initial user permission verification, data module classification by sensitivity, selective approval workflow initiation for sensitive modules, and automated copying for non-sensitive modules. This segmentation allows security checks where needed while maintaining speed for routine operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the authorization check depth based on data sensitivity parameters. High-sensitivity data modules trigger comprehensive approval workflows, while low-sensitivity modules use streamlined verification processes, optimizing the balance between security and generation speed
3Adaptability or versatility
If the entire production dataset is copied to sandbox, then complete production environment replication is achieved, but computing resources are wasted copying and storing unauthorized data
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the necessary and authorized data modules from the production environment for sandbox creation. Based on user permissions and approval workflows, irrelevant and unauthorized data is excluded from the copying process, reducing computing resource consumption while maintaining the completeness of authorized data
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of copying the entire production dataset, the system performs partial copying of only those data modules that are authorized for the requesting user. This partial action approach eliminates waste of computing resources on unauthorized data while ensuring all necessary authorized data is included
Data Source
AI summary
In response to receiving a request from a user to generate a sandbox, one or more smart contracts is selected based on complexity metrics associated with one or more data modules requested for copying from a production environment to the requested sandbox. Based on the selected one or more smart contracts, one or more approvers are determined that are authorized to approve access of the user to the data relating to the one or more data modules. An approval workflow is generated and transmitted to the determined one or more approvers. Upon receiving an indication of approval from the one or more approvers, the sandbox is generated by copying the one or more data modules from the production environment to the requested sandbox.