Selective Data Destruction via Sanitizing Wipe Command
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Modern storage systems face challenges in permanently deleting data due to advanced data reduction techniques and storage solution configurations, which often leave behind data remnants that can be recovered using advanced data forensics.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for permanently deleting data segments by sanitizing the data segments and their corresponding journal entries, including receiving a wipe command, sanitizing the data segments, marking storage block addresses as sanitized, and traversing the journal to locate and sanitize any previous entries, thereby preventing data recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If data reduction techniques (compression, deduplication, thinning) are implemented to preserve storage capacity, then storage efficiency is improved, but data remnants are left behind that can be recovered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary sanitization actions on journal entries and metadata before data is actually deleted or overwritten. By proactively clearing reference information and journal logs that could lead to data recovery, the system ensures that even if data remnants exist in storage blocks, they cannot be recovered without the corresponding reference information.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and separately sanitizes critical reference information (journal entries, metadata, volume copy information) from the main data storage. By removing these reference pointers and storing them separately or clearing them independently, the system breaks the connection between deleted data and any potential recovery mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If journal entries and metadata are maintained to track data segments, then data management capability is improved, but recovery tools can utilize these entries to restore deleted data
Solution Approach 1:
The system sanitizes journal entries and metadata proactively before data deletion operations complete. By clearing reference information in advance and maintaining sanitized state markers, the system ensures that journal entries cannot be used as recovery tools even though they are maintained for active data management purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the data management system into separate components: active data storage, journal entries, metadata, and volume copies. Each segment can be independently sanitized, allowing the system to maintain operational journal entries for active data while preventing their use for recovering deleted data through selective sanitization of specific segments.
3Reliability
If multiple copies of data are maintained for redundancy, then data reliability is improved, but deleted data can be recovered from these copies
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and independently manages volume copy information separate from the main data storage. By removing reference pointers to redundant copies and sanitizing these references independently, the system maintains the ability to manage redundant storage while preventing recovered access to deleted data through the redundancy mechanism.
4Loss of information
If a comprehensive wipe command sanitizes all data segments, then data security is improved, but the time required for complete deletion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The wipe command is segmented into parallel sanitization operations targeting different data segments simultaneously: journal entries, metadata, volume copies, and main data blocks. This parallel processing approach maintains comprehensive data security while reducing total deletion time by avoiding sequential processing of all segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary identification and marking of all data segments requiring sanitization before the actual wipe operation begins. By pre-mapping all journal entries, metadata, and data block locations, the system can execute comprehensive sanitization more efficiently without repeated scanning during the deletion process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system for permanently deleting data from storage. The method includes receiving a wipe command to permanently delete a data segment stored in a storage system. The data segment includes an address to blocks where the data of the data segment is stored. The method also includes sanitizing the data segment, marking the address as sanitized, locating a last journal entry in a journal. The last journal entry includes metadata regarding the data segment. The method also includes sanitizing the last journal entry, traversing the journal, and sanitizing each journal entry of the data segment.