Secure Data Storage Using Unique Record Identifiers and Check Values

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for secure storage and reading of user data, such as in digital tachographs, face challenges in reliably protecting against manipulation and ensuring data integrity, often requiring expensive secure memory solutions and complex cryptographic calculations.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize unique data record identifiers, data area information, and exclusion lists to securely store and read user data, employing cryptographic checks and unique stamps to detect manipulations and prevent replay attacks, allowing for efficient and reliable data integrity verification without the need for extensive secure memory storage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If expensive secure memory solutions are used for storing user data, then data security and manipulation protection are improved, but storage costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata securityVSAvoidstorage costs
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides data storage into two segments: secure memory for storing only critical data (data area identifiers, check values, exclusion lists) and insecure memory for storing the actual user data. This segmentation allows the system to achieve data security through cryptographic verification of data integrity without requiring the entire storage system to be secure, thereby reducing costs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cryptographic check values (hashes) as intermediaries between the secure and insecure memory components. These check values serve as mediators that enable verification of data integrity without requiring the data itself to be stored in secure memory, thus providing security at lower cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If cryptographic check values are calculated for every data record, then data manipulation detection is improved, but computational overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanipulation detectionVSAvoidcomputational overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of applying cryptographic verification to all data equally, the patent applies partial verification: cryptographic check values are calculated only for critical metadata (data area identifiers, exclusion lists) stored in secure memory, while the bulk user data in insecure memory is verified through these partial checks. This partial action approach maintains security while reducing computational overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If data records are stored with complete identifiers including unique stamps and positions, then data integrity verification is improved, but storage space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrity verificationVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a compact cryptographic copy (hash/check value) of the complete data record identifier and stores it in secure memory. This copying approach allows verification of data integrity without storing the full identifier details in secure memory, thus maintaining verification capability while minimizing storage space requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2122525B1Method and device for securely storing and securely reading user data
Publication Date: 2019.03.27 CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
  • EP2122525B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP2122525B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP2122525B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

According to the invention, user data (ND) is stored in at least one record (DS) in at least one predefined, logic data storage area. One respective record ID (DSK) is assigned to the at least one record (DS), said record ID (DSK) comprising a uniqueness stamp that is unique in the respective predefined data storage area, a unique ID of the predefined data storage area in which the respective record (DS) is stored, and a logic position of the respective record (DS) within the respective predefined data storage area. A record test value (DSP) is determined and stored for the user data (ND) and the respective associated record ID (DSK) of the respective record (DS). Data storage area information (DBI) containing the ID of the respective predefined data storage area and data on at least one value range of the uniqueness stamps of the records (DS) currently stored in the respective predefined data storage area is assigned to the respective predefined data storage area.