Threshold-Based Data Privacy Override via Distributed Ledger Key Shares
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Solution Overview
Problem
Service providers face challenges in accessing user data while ensuring user privacy, as existing solutions provide unchecked control and lack accountability, particularly when legitimate needs arise, such as user misbehavior.
Innovation Solution
A method employing a distributed ledger and threshold secret sharing scheme, where user data is encrypted with an inner and outer key, with the outer key split into shares distributed among the user, service provider, and voters, allowing access only when a predefined threshold of shares is met, ensuring controlled access and accountability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If service providers are given unchecked control to access user data, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability and accountability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The access control mechanism is segmented by dividing the master key into multiple shares distributed among the service provider, user, and voters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain ease of operation for legitimate access while ensuring accountability through distributed control - no single entity can access data without proper authorization and voter approval.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users opt-in to data collection, then service functionality is improved, but loss of information regarding user privacy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by encrypting user data with the master key before collection and storing only the encrypted data on the distributed ledger. The master key itself is encrypted and distributed through threshold secret sharing. This preliminary encryption preserves service functionality while preventing information loss about user privacy, as the data remains encrypted throughout the system.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mechanism is introduced through the threshold secret sharing scheme and voter involvement. The voter acts as an intermediary who can approve or deny data access requests. This intermediary layer enables service functionality to proceed while protecting user privacy by requiring explicit authorization before any data decryption and access occurs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If service providers can access user data for legitimate reasons, then adaptability is improved, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to potential abuse
Solution Approach 1:
A feedback mechanism is implemented through the voter approval process. Before the service provider can access user data for legitimate reasons such as law enforcement requests or breach responses, the voter provides feedback by approving or denying the access request. This feedback loop enables adaptability for legitimate access while preventing harmful factors by requiring continuous authorization and transparency.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for threshold-based override of data privacy. One method comprises creating, by a service provider, an agreement with a user employing a user device, wherein the agreement is maintained on a distributed ledger, wherein user data sent to the distributed ledger is encrypted using an inner key and an outer key (split into multiple outer key shares and distributed to the user, the service provider and/or voters), wherein a predefined number of multiple outer key shares is required to reconstruct the outer key. To access the encrypted data of the user in some embodiments, the service provider: obtains a reconstructed outer key if the number of outer key shares provided by the user, the service provider and/or the voters satisfies the predefined number of outer key shares key; and decrypts the encrypted user data using the reconstructed outer key and the inner key.