Secure Data Erasure in Non-Volatile Memory via Targeted Block Purge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secure erasure techniques for non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, are time and power consuming, and may reduce the operational life of the device while not fully securing the data from informational leakage, as they often involve repeated erasure cycles that sophisticated attackers can still recover data from.
Innovation Solution
A method for securely erasing data from non-volatile memory by identifying an extended data set with multiple copies of a common logical address stored in different physical addresses, using characterization to select an appropriate sanitizing operation, such as garbage collection, encryption key destruction, or cyclical data overwrite/erase, to purge the data while retaining other stored data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If repeated erasure cycles are used to secure data, then data security is improved, but power consumption increases and operational life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes only the specific data blocks that need to be sanitized from the memory device, rather than performing repeated erasure cycles on entire memory blocks. This targeted approach identifies data blocks containing sensitive information and removes them in a single operation, eliminating the need for multiple erasure cycles and thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining data security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary identification and characterization of data blocks containing sensitive information before executing the erasure operation. By pre-locating and marking the specific blocks that need sanitization, the system prepares the memory structure in advance, allowing a single efficient erasure pass rather than multiple repeated cycles, thus reducing power consumption while ensuring complete data security.
2Reliability
If repeated erasure cycles are used to secure data, then data security is improved, but operational life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes only the specific data blocks that need to be sanitized from the memory device, rather than performing repeated erasure cycles on entire memory blocks. This targeted approach identifies data blocks containing sensitive information and removes them in a single operation, eliminating the need for multiple erasure cycles and thereby extending operational life while maintaining data security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary identification and characterization of data blocks containing sensitive information before executing the erasure operation. By pre-locating and marking the specific blocks that need sanitization, the system prepares the memory structure in advance, allowing a single efficient erasure pass rather than multiple repeated cycles, thus extending operational life while ensuring complete data security.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional erasure methods are used, then implementation is simpler, but data security is insufficient against sophisticated attackers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary characterization step that analyzes the memory structure and identifies data blocks containing sensitive information. This intermediary process acts as a mediator between simple erasure operations and security requirements, enabling targeted erasure of only the necessary blocks while maintaining implementation simplicity. The characterization mechanism provides the bridge that allows conventional erasure methods to achieve enhanced security without complex repeated cycling.
4Reliability
If all data blocks are erased to ensure security, then data security is improved, but loss of useful data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes only the specific data blocks that need to be sanitized from the memory device, rather than erasing all data blocks. This targeted approach identifies data blocks containing sensitive information and removes them selectively, preserving all other useful data. The extraction mechanism ensures that only the minimum necessary blocks are erased, maintaining data security while minimizing useful data loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different treatment to different data blocks based on their content characteristics. Sensitive data blocks are identified and erased, while non-sensitive blocks are preserved. This local differentiation allows the system to apply erasure operations only where necessary, achieving high data security for sensitive information while maintaining full accessibility of useful non-sensitive data, thereby minimizing overall data loss.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for securely erasing data from a non-volatile memory, such as but not limited to a flash memory array. In accordance with various embodiments, an extended data set to be sanitized from the memory is identified. The extended data set includes multiple copies of data having a common logical address and different physical addresses within the memory. The extended data set is sanitized in relation to a characterization of the data set. The data sanitizing operation results in the extended data set being purged from the memory and other previously stored data in the memory being retained.