Signed URN Embedding for Data Provenance and Fast Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing internet protocols face issues with data provenance, authentication, authorization, interoperability, security, privacy, and scalability due to lack of standardization, interoperability, security vulnerabilities, user adoption complexity, regulatory inconsistencies, and environmental impact, leading to inefficiencies and increased computational costs.
Innovation Solution
Embedding cryptographically signed data in Uniform Resource Names (URNs) of a network protocol, generating URNs with metadata and computing signatures based on public-key cryptography, allowing verification and processing without centralized servers, thus optimizing authentication, data provenance, and security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cryptographically signed data is embedded in URNs, then data authentication and provenance tracking are improved, but device complexity and implementation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines authentication data, provenance information, and cryptographic signatures directly into the URN structure itself, merging multiple functions into a single integrated identifier. This eliminates the need for separate authentication mechanisms and reduces overall system complexity despite adding cryptographic capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The signed URN serves multiple purposes simultaneously: it acts as a unique identifier, an authentication credential, a provenance tracker, and a verification token. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate systems and components, thereby managing complexity while improving reliability.
2Loss of information
If metadata is embedded in URNs with cryptographic signatures, then data provenance tracking is improved, but data transmission volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses cryptographic hashing to create a compact digital fingerprint of the provenance data. Instead of transmitting the full metadata about data origin and history, only the cryptographic hash is embedded in the URN, providing complete provenance tracking information in a highly compressed form.
3Reliability
If cryptographic signatures are computed for each request and response, then security is improved, but computational cost and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-computes and embeds cryptographic signatures into the URN at the time of data creation or registration, rather than computing signatures for every subsequent request. This preliminary action shifts the computational burden to an earlier stage, allowing faster processing during data access and transmission while maintaining strong security.
4Adaptability or versatility
If standardized URN embedding is implemented across network protocols, then interoperability is improved, but adoption complexity and user implementation burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent breaks down the complex URN embedding process into distinct, manageable components: URN generation, metadata embedding, cryptographic signing, and verification. Each component can be independently implemented and tested, reducing the perceived complexity for users while maintaining full interoperability capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for embedding cryptographically signed data in URNs of a network protocol. In embodiments described herein, uniform resource name (URN) for a request is generated through a network protocol where the URN includes a public key and a representation of the request. A signature is computed using a public-key signature algorithm based on the URN and/or any content data associated with the request using a private key associated with the public key. A signed URN is generated including the URN and the signature. The signed URN is then stored along with any content data associated with the request.