Secure Enclave Key Management for Cluster Data Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
In secure data storage clusters, ensuring data integrity and security while allowing multiple nodes to access and decrypt encrypted data without exposing the cryptographic key, while also authenticating new nodes and verifying data availability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a self-encrypting key management service where each node uses a master key for encryption and decryption, with message authentication codes (MACs) to verify data integrity and authenticity, and employing order-preserving encryption (OPE) to confirm data absence, along with an attestation process for new node authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If multiple nodes store copies of the cryptographic key for decrypting encrypted data, then data accessibility and decryption capability are improved, but security is worsened because key exposure risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cryptographic key from the nodes and stores it exclusively in the secure enclave. Nodes no longer hold key copies, eliminating the security risk of key exposure while maintaining their ability to decrypt data through controlled key release from the enclave.
Solution Approach 2:
The secure enclave acts as an intermediary between the cryptographic key and the nodes. It controls key distribution, releasing keys only to authenticated nodes under specific conditions, thereby enabling data accessibility while preventing unauthorized key exposure.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the cryptographic key is stored centrally in a secure enclave, then security is improved by reducing key exposure risk, but data accessibility is worsened because nodes must rely on controlled key release
Solution Approach 1:
The secure enclave operates autonomously, automatically authenticating nodes, managing key release, and verifying data integrity without external intervention. This self-service capability maintains high data accessibility while ensuring centralized security control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where nodes provide authentication credentials to the secure enclave, which then grants or denies key access based on verification results. This feedback loop ensures secure controlled access while maintaining operational efficiency.
3Reliability
If new nodes are authenticated through an attestation process, then security is improved by preventing unauthorized access, but device complexity is worsened due to additional authentication mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple authentication functions (node identification, credential verification, key release control, and data integrity verification) into a single integrated secure enclave system. This merging reduces overall system complexity while maintaining strong security through unified attestation processes.
4Reliability
If message authentication codes are used to verify data integrity, then data reliability is improved, but use of energy is worsened due to additional computational operations
Solution Approach 1:
The secure enclave pre-computes and stores message authentication codes alongside encrypted data before nodes retrieve it. When nodes receive data, they can verify integrity using these pre-computed codes without performing additional energy-intensive cryptographic operations, thus maintaining data reliability while reducing energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Authentication information at a first portion of encrypted data may be identified. A cryptographic key may be derived based on a combination of an identification of the first portion of the received encrypted data and a master key. Additional authentication information may be generated based on a combination of the derived cryptographic key and another portion of the received encrypted data. The encrypted data may be verified by comparing the authentication information at the first portion of the received encrypted data with the generated additional authentication information. In response to verifying the received encrypted data, a second cryptographic key may be derived based on a combination of an identification of the another portion of the encrypted data and the master key. The other portion of the received encrypted data may be decrypted by using the second cryptographic key.