Secure-Circuit Key Release for Encrypted File System Metadata
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing file systems are vulnerable to unauthorized access and manipulation due to unencrypted metadata, which can reveal sensitive information about file locations, creation dates, and user identities, making them susceptible to targeted attacks.
Innovation Solution
The metadata is encrypted using a metadata encryption key stored in an encrypted form, which is decrypted by a secure circuit within the computing device, ensuring only authorized access through user-supplied entropy and hardware-derived keys, and is managed by a memory controller to prevent exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If metadata is stored in unencrypted form for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but security against unauthorized access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates metadata into encrypted and unencrypted portions, with only essential access metadata remaining unencrypted while sensitive metadata is encrypted. This allows the file system to maintain operational efficiency through unencrypted access metadata while protecting sensitive information through encryption of other metadata fields.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of metadata are treated differently - some metadata fields are encrypted while others remain unencrypted. Specifically, sensitive metadata such as file content, creation dates, and user identities are encrypted, while access metadata remains unencrypted to maintain ease of file system operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If full metadata is encrypted for security, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to decryption overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The metadata is divided into encrypted and unencrypted segments, allowing the file system to access unencrypted metadata without decryption overhead while protected metadata remains encrypted. This segmentation eliminates the need to decrypt entire metadata structures, improving access speed.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of encrypting all metadata, the system applies encryption only to sensitive portions of metadata while leaving access-critical metadata unencrypted. This partial encryption approach provides security for sensitive information while maintaining operational efficiency for file system operations.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If metadata is partially encrypted, then security is improved while maintaining ease of operation, but device complexity increases due to encryption management
Solution Approach 1:
The file system automatically manages encryption and decryption of metadata using stored encryption keys, without requiring manual intervention. The system self-services the encryption process by automatically applying encryption to sensitive metadata and decryption when access is required, reducing the perceived complexity for users.
Solution Approach 2:
The encryption mechanism is integrated into the existing file system infrastructure, allowing the same system components to handle both encrypted and unencrypted metadata operations. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by reusing existing infrastructure rather than adding separate dedicated encryption systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed relating to securely storing file system metadata in a computing device. In one embodiment, a computing device includes a processor, memory, and a secure circuit. The memory has a file system stored therein that includes metadata for accessing a plurality of files in the memory. The metadata is encrypted with a metadata encryption key that is stored in an encrypted form. The secure circuit is configured to receive a request from the processor to access the file system. In response to the request, the secure circuit is configured to decrypt the encrypted form of the metadata encryption key. In some embodiments, the computing device includes a memory controller configured to receive the metadata encryption key from the secure circuit, retrieve the encrypted metadata from the memory, and decrypt the encrypted metadata prior to providing the metadata to the processor.