Segmented Encryption Key Management for Cloud Data Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud-based systems face vulnerabilities in securely storing and distributing sensitive data, as attackers can access encryption keys and masquerade as users, leading to potential catastrophic data loss, and existing solutions either rely on the cloud service provider for decryption or lack scalability and interoperability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where sensitive data is stored encrypted, with only administrators and authorized entities able to decrypt it, using security proxy servers that can be managed and deployed without re-provisioning, and ensuring that the cloud service provider cannot decrypt the data without extraordinary measures, thus providing strong cryptographic access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensitive data is stored encrypted in cloud with multiple encryption keys, then security against cloud provider access is improved, but key management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key is segmented into multiple parts and distributed among different entities (cloud provider, enterprise administrator, enterprise employee). Each entity holds only a portion of the key, making it impossible for any single entity to decrypt the data alone. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining security through distributed key custody while managing complexity through automated key management systems.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary key management system is introduced that automatically handles key distribution, storage, and retrieval. This intermediary manages the complexity of handling multiple encryption keys and segments, providing a user-friendly interface while maintaining strong security through cryptographic protocols.
2Ease of operation
If a central management console stores secrets, then ease of administration is improved, but vulnerability to attacks and infiltration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The central management console stores only segmented portions of encryption keys rather than complete keys. This segmentation ensures that even if the console is compromised, attackers cannot obtain full decryption capability. The console maintains ease of administration by providing a user interface for key management while reducing vulnerability through distributed key storage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different entities have different levels of access to key segments based on their roles. The cloud provider has access to one segment, the enterprise administrator to another, and the enterprise employee to a third. This local quality approach allows the management console to provide centralized control while limiting the impact of potential breaches to specific key segments only.
3Ease of operation
If cloud service provider can decrypt data for service delivery, then ease of operation is improved, but security against unauthorized access worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key is segmented so that the cloud service provider receives only a portion necessary for service delivery (such as a public key or encrypted segment), while the sensitive portions remain with the enterprise. This allows the cloud provider to perform decryption operations needed for service delivery while maintaining security by preventing them from obtaining the complete decryption capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different key segments are distributed to different entities based on their functional requirements. The cloud service provider receives the segment needed for service delivery, while the enterprise retains segments for security control. This local quality approach enables service delivery while maintaining security boundaries.
Data Source
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Figure 3
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AI summary
Techniques to securely store and retrieve data are disclosed. In various embodiments, a process of retrieving secure data includes receiving a request, where the request includes a first secret data and a second secret data. The process further includes identifying a first encrypted data to retrieve based on the request, using the first secret data to decrypt the first encrypted data to generate a decrypted data, generating a second encrypted data, where the second encrypted data is encrypted using the second secret data. In response to the request, the second encrypted data is provided.