Zero Trust Storage Vault Architecture for Active Intrusion Response
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional storage systems lack end-to-end data-centric security, particularly against ransomware, malicious insiders, and quantum computing attacks, with security measures often bolted on as an afterthought rather than integrated into the system design, failing to consider the dynamic aspects of data lifecycle and movement.
Innovation Solution
A 'castle-like' data architecture with real-time intrusion detection and active response, utilizing multi-vectored, multi-layered security services that secure data at-rest and in-motion, employing information theoretical security, exclusive-path forwarding, and secure vaults to mitigate cyber risks, including quantum-safe data security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional storage systems use traditional security features added as an afterthought, then implementation simplicity is improved, but security effectiveness against ransomware and quantum attacks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system is segmented into multiple isolated secure vaults, each protected by independent security measures. Data is divided into fragments and distributed across different vaults, ensuring that compromise of one vault does not affect others. This segmentation approach provides robust security while maintaining implementation simplicity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Security measures are built into the storage system design from the beginning rather than added later. Encryption, authentication, and vault isolation mechanisms are pre-configured during system initialization and data ingestion, ensuring security effectiveness is inherent to the system architecture while simplifying implementation by avoiding retroactive security additions.
2Reliability
If storage systems implement comprehensive end-to-end security services, then security coverage is improved, but system complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The storage system implements a universal security framework that handles multiple security functions (encryption, authentication, intrusion detection, active response) through a unified architecture. The secure vault mechanism serves as a multi-functional component that provides isolation, encryption, and access control simultaneously, reducing overall system complexity while achieving comprehensive security coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary security layer is introduced between the storage system and external threats, comprising secure vaults and intrusion detection components. This intermediary layer manages complex security operations (cryptographic operations, threat analysis, active response) separately from core storage functions, thereby achieving comprehensive security coverage without increasing the complexity of the main storage system.
3Reliability
If storage systems use information theoretical security against quantum attacks, then quantum attack resistance is improved, but computational overhead deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Data is segmented into multiple fragments and distributed across isolated secure vaults. This segmentation reduces the computational overhead of quantum-resistant encryption by applying encryption to smaller data units rather than large datasets, while maintaining quantum attack resistance through the combined security of fragmented and distributed storage architecture.
4Reliability
If storage systems implement real-time intrusion detection and active response, then attack response capability is improved, but processing time deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring secure vaults, pre-computing cryptographic keys, and pre-establishing intrusion detection rules during system initialization and data ingestion. This preliminary preparation enables real-time intrusion detection and active response capabilities without significant processing time penalties during actual security events, as the computational groundwork is already in place.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to attack-tolerant storage system architecture with active response methods against different forms of storage intrusion for data at-rest, under-operation and in-motion as an integrated system design. System is built upon a Storage security controller (SG nodes), USC, overlay network of DTC nodes attached to SG nodes. System security modules are deployed across various geo locations in a Wide Area Network. USC extracts system, security and storage activity telemetry data from Secure Vaults, Storage Gateways and inter-site data transfer systems to orchestrate autonomous security Operations. SG nodes create SP fragments and store in SV nodes or move it across DTC nodes upon data operations. SG nodes are connected to SV nodes which are micro-segmented, data vaults with restricted network reachability. Kill-Data-Service methods and other Active Response security methods are triggered from SG nodes or at DTC nodes, as part of AR operations, orchestrated by USC.