Sub-Application Purpose Verification via Segmented Cryptographic Certificates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions fail to effectively verify the correct application purpose for applications that serve multiple purposes and determine the correct purpose for each requested data access, particularly in compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR.
Innovation Solution
The system generates cryptographic certificates for different parts of an application, each associated with a declared data access purpose, allowing for finer-grained access control by verifying the correct purpose at a granularity beyond the application level, enabling specific parts of the application to access data based on their certified purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If purpose verification is performed at the application level, then the verification process is simple, but it cannot distinguish between different purposes for different parts of the application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the application into multiple application parts (e.g., modules, functions, or code sections) and issues separate purpose certificates for each part. This segmentation allows the system to verify purposes at a finer granularity than the entire application, resolving the contradiction between simple verification and precise purpose identification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of verification by moving from application-level verification to sub-application level verification. This dimensional change enables the system to distinguish between different purposes for different parts of the application while maintaining a structured certificate format that manages complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If applications can serve multiple purposes, then application versatility is improved, but it becomes difficult to determine the correct purpose for each data access request
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the application into parts with dedicated purpose certificates, the system can accurately determine the purpose for each data access request based on which application part is making the request. This resolves the ambiguity in multi-purpose applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The purpose certificate acts as an intermediary between the application part and the data access control system. It mediates the communication by providing a certified statement of purpose that data access control systems can verify without needing to analyze the application's internal logic.
3Device complexity
If access control is implemented at the application level, then the control mechanism is simple, but it cannot provide finer-grained access control for different application parts
Solution Approach 1:
The access control mechanism is segmented to operate at the application part level rather than the entire application level. Each application part has its own purpose certificate that controls access for that specific part, enabling fine-grained access control while maintaining a relatively simple certificate-based mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present systems and methods may provide techniques for verifying the correct application purpose for applications that serve multiple purposes and to determine the correct purpose for each requested data access. For example, in an embodiment, a method for controlling application access to data implemented in a computer comprising a processor, memory accessible by the processor, and computer program instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor may comprise: receiving an application comprising a plurality of application parts, each application part associated with a declared data access purpose and generating a cryptographic certificate for each application part to be certified by determining whether a declared data access purpose for each application part to be certified is correct and the only data access purpose for that part, wherein the declared purpose is included in purpose information associated with each application part to be certified.