Trusted Authority Mediates Data Access in Distributed Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in managing and removing their personal data from distributed networks, particularly in ensuring that all derived data sets are also altered or removed, to comply with regulations like GDPR's "right to be forgotten".
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an apparatus and method that utilizes an immutable ledger to track user data and its derivatives, allowing a trusted authority to selectively grant or revoke access based on predefined access policies, and to ensure complete removal of data by creating a tree structure that reflects data processing history.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If personal data is shared to enable service usage in distributed networks, then service functionality is improved, but user data control and compliance with right to be forgotten becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a trusted authority as an intermediary between users and the distributed network. This trusted authority manages cryptographic keys and controls access to user data, enabling services to access data when needed while allowing users to revoke access when they want data removed. The trusted authority mediates all data access requests, ensuring both service functionality and user control without requiring users to directly manage complex cryptographic operations.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If data is completely removed from the network to fulfill right to be forgotten, then user privacy is protected, but all derived data sets must be altered or removed as well, increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control mechanism from the data itself and places it in the trusted authority's key management system. Instead of requiring physical or logical removal of data from all nodes in the distributed network, the system extracts the ability to access data through cryptographic keys controlled by the trusted authority. When users want data removed, the trusted authority simply revokes the cryptographic keys, effectively taking away access without needing to locate, identify, and modify every instance of the data across the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses cryptographic copies (hashes) of data in the immutable ledger to track derived data sets. Instead of tracking actual data instances throughout the network, the system uses cryptographic representations that can be verified without exposing the underlying data. This allows the system to identify all derived data sets through hash matching while keeping the actual data accessible only through controlled key-based mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If access to user data is restricted or removed, then user privacy is protected, but service functionality that depends on the data may be impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic access control where data accessibility changes over time based on user preferences and trusted authority decisions. The cryptographic keys managed by the trusted authority can be activated or deactivated at any time, allowing services to access data when users consent while automatically restricting access when users revoke permission. This dynamic mechanism maintains service functionality during authorized access periods while protecting privacy during revocation periods without requiring permanent data removal.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a non-transitory machine-readable medium including machine-readable instructions. The machine-readable instructions cause, when executed on an apparatus, the apparatus to receive, by a trusted authority, a request for access to user data stored on a distributed network. The machine-readable instructions further cause the apparatus to search, by the trusted authority, an immutable ledger for an entry related to the user data. The machine-readable instructions further cause the apparatus to selectively decide, by the trusted authority and based on an access policy for the user data indicated by the entry, whether to grant access to the user data.