Secure Processor Database Query Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security solutions for protecting sensitive information and cyber threat indicators are inadequate, as they often rely on expensive and inefficient physical security measures, and existing methods for secure database operations on untrusted networks fail to maintain confidentiality and secrecy, making them vulnerable to exposure and leakage.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a secure processor to perform computations on a database of cryptographically hashed values, ensuring that only hashed query results are exposed externally, while keeping the database contents and operations encapsulated within the secure processor, using cryptographic hashes and encryption to maintain secrecy and protect against unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If physical security measures (SCIFs, personnel clearances, operational procedures) are used to protect sensitive information, then security is improved, but cost and operational efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical security mechanisms (SCIFs, personnel clearances, physical access controls) with cryptographic mechanisms. Specifically, it uses homomorphic encryption to enable database queries on encrypted data, substituting the need for physical secure facilities with mathematical security guarantees that work in untrusted environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a trusted execution environment (TEE) or secure enclave as an intermediary between the untrusted database server and the user. This intermediary performs computations on encrypted data and returns results without exposing intermediate values, acting as a mediator that guarantees security without requiring physical security infrastructure.
2Reliability
If physical security measures (SCIFs, personnel clearances) are used to protect sensitive information, then security is improved, but deployment speed and accessibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes physical security infrastructure with software-based cryptographic solutions that can be deployed rapidly. Homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computation protocols can be implemented through software updates without requiring physical secure facilities, enabling fast deployment across distributed systems.
3Ease of operation
If database contents are exposed for querying, then query functionality is improved, but information confidentiality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies encryption to the database contents before they are stored or made accessible for querying. By pre-encrypting the data using homomorphic encryption schemes, the system enables subsequent queries to be performed on the encrypted data without ever exposing the plaintext, thus preserving confidentiality while maintaining functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces cryptographic protocols as intermediaries between the query and the database contents. These protocols (homomorphic encryption, secure multi-party computation) enable the query operation to be performed on encrypted data, returning results without exposing intermediate computational values or the underlying database contents.
4Adaptability or versatility
If queries are performed on untrusted networks, then accessibility is improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical security perimeters and trusted network infrastructure with cryptographic security that operates independently of network trust assumptions. Homomorphic encryption and secure multi-party computation protocols provide security guarantees that hold even when executed on untrusted network infrastructure, substituting mathematical security for physical security.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are a system and method of performing secure computations on a protected database. Embodiments of the method provide, in a secure processor, a database of cryptographically hashed values based on a database of cleartext values, receive a cryptographically hashed query value as input into the secure processor wherein the query value is a hash of a cleartext value that corresponds to a cleartext query, perform a comparison operation within the secure processor to determine the presence of the hashed query value within the database of cryptographically hashed values and provide the results of the comparison operation to an external interface of the secure processor, wherein the contents of the database of cryptographically hashed values and the comparison operations are encapsulated within the secure processor and unexposed externally therefrom.