Secret Information Release via Distributed Trustee Authorization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data privacy and information security solutions face challenges in securely managing secret information, particularly in automated processes where offline attacks and human intervention are impractical, especially in large-scale systems.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for secure, remote release of secret information over a network, utilizing a client-server architecture where a server stores secret information and clients request authorization from designated trustees before releasing it, with policies determining access based on trustee responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If secret information is stored locally on the system, then access is available for automated processes, but the system becomes vulnerable to offline attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The secret information is segmented into multiple shares that are distributed across different trustees. No single trustee or local storage contains the complete secret, making offline attacks ineffective while enabling automated access through cryptographic reconstruction when sufficient shares are gathered.
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary between clients and trustees, coordinating the secret sharing and reconstruction process. The server manages the distribution of secret shares to trustees and facilitates the gathering of sufficient shares for automated secret recovery without requiring human intervention.
2Reliability
If HSM hardware is used for key management, then security is enhanced, but physical connections and human intervention are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-service for secret management through cryptographic protocols. Clients can automatically retrieve secrets by gathering sufficient shares from trustees without human intervention, while the trustee architecture provides security equivalent to HSM through distributed cryptographic protection.
3Extent of automation
If secret values are hard coded into source code, then automation is enabled, but the system becomes vulnerable to inspection attacks
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of hardcoding complete secret values, the system segments secrets into distributed shares stored on the server and held by trustees. Source code contains only client identifiers and trustee information, not the actual secrets, preventing inspection attacks while maintaining automation through cryptographic reconstruction.
4Reliability
If trustees are required for authorization, then security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server performs multiple functions including client authentication, secret share distribution, trustee coordination, and secret reconstruction facilitation. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite the presence of trustees, as the server consolidates what would otherwise require separate specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods for secure release of secret information over a network. The server can be configured to receive a request from a client to access the deposit of secret information, send an authorization request to at least one designated trustee in the set of designated trustees for the deposit of secret information, receive responses over the network from one or more of the designated trustees in the set of designated trustees and apply a trustee policy to the responses from the one or more designated trustees in the set of trustees to determine if the request is authorized. If the request is authorized, the server can send the secret information to the client. If the request is not authorized, the server denies access by the client to the secret information.