System for control of secure access and communication with different process data networks with separate security features

• US 10,129,238 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Kurian, Manu Jacob, Johnsrud, Darrell
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Jung W
• Assistant Examiner(s): De Jesus Lassala, Carlos M
• Application Number:
  US15/049,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20170230353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3239 involving non-keyed hash functions, e.g. modification detection codes [MDCs], MD5, SHA or RIPEMD
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees

Abstract

A distributed block chain network having at least a private block chain portion, and in some cases a public block chain portion, allows users to take actions (e.g., accessing, viewing, storing, disseminating, validating, or the like) with respect to event information associated with events. In some aspects of the invention the distributed block chain network with the private block chain portion may be utilized to verify events and separate the private information associated with the events from the public information associated with the events. As such, the present invention provides systems for centralized control of secure access to process data networks by utilizing a private block chain; and moreover, provide systems for control of secure access and communication with different process data networks with different security requirements by utilizing one or more block chains with private block chain portions and/or public block chain portions.

Claims

1. A system for supporting and controlling access to a block chain distributed network including a private block chain portion and a public block chain portion through which users take actions on events, the system comprising:

one or more memory devices storing computer-readable program code; and

one or more processing devices operatively coupled to the one or more memory devices, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable program code to;

receive a request from one or more users to access the private block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the private block chain portion comprises one or more private nodes;

receive authentication credentials from the one or more users in order to access the private block chain portion;

authenticate the one or more users to access the private block chain portion;

receive a request from the one or more users to take a private action with respect to an event on the private block chain portion, wherein private information associated with the event remains private within the private block chain portion, wherein the event is a resource transfer from a customer to an entity using a financial account from a financial institution, wherein the private action is validating the resource transfer, and wherein the private information is private resource transfer information;

identify limits, wherein the limits comprise one or more user limits, one or more private node limits, one or more entity limits, one or more event limits, and one or more private action limits;

compare the private action taken and the one or more users, the one or more private nodes, the entity, and the event associated with the private action to the limits, including the one or more user limits, the one or more private node limits, the one or more entity limits, the one or more event limits, and the one or more private action limits;

allow the private action to proceed when the limits are met;

store the private information within the private block chain portion;

receive a request from the one or more users to take a public action with respect to the event on the public block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the public block chain portion comprises one or more public nodes, wherein public information associated with the event remains public within the public block chain portion, wherein the public action is confirmation of allowance or denial of the resource transfer, and wherein the public information is public resource transfer information; and

store the public information within the public block chain portion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the private resource transfer information comprises one or more account numbers, one or more user names, or one or more values of the resource transfer, and wherein the public resource transfer information comprises one or more alias account numbers, one or more alias user names, one or more alias merchants, and one or more alias amounts.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the private information is stored on a private general ledger and the public information is stored on a public general ledger.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the private block chain portion is a private block chain and the public block chain portion is a public block chain, wherein the private block chain and the public block chain are separate block chains that can electronically communicate with each other.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the private block chain portion and the public block chain portion are portions of a hybrid block chain.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:

issue an action authentication, wherein the action authentication identifies that the event was verified on the private block chain portion; and

publish the action authentication on the public block chain portion.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a single entity controls access to the private block chain portion with the private nodes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the authentication credentials comprise user authentication credentials and node authentication credentials, and wherein authenticating the one or more users to access the private block chain portion comprises authenticating the one or more users and the one or more private nodes from which the one or more users are accessing the private block chain portion.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:

receive the one or more user limits, the one or more private node limits, the one or more entity limits, the one or more event limits, and the one or more private action limits.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the event further comprises a contract between entities, an analyst report, or a financial report.

11. A method for supporting and controlling access to a block chain distributed network including a private block chain portion and a public block chain portion through which users take actions on events, the method comprising:

receiving, by one or more processing devices, a request from one or more users to access the private block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the private block chain portion comprises one or more private nodes;

receiving, by the one or more processing devices, authentication credentials from the one or more users in order to access the private block chain portion;

authenticating, by the one or more processing devices, the one or more users to access the private block chain portion;

receiving, by the one or more processing devices, a request from the one or more users to take a private action with respect to an event on the private block chain portion, wherein private information associated with the event remains private within the private block chain portion, wherein the event is a resource transfer from a customer to an entity using a financial account from a financial institution, wherein the private action is validating the resource transfer, and wherein the private information is private resource transfer information;

identifying, by the one or more processing devices, limits, wherein the limits comprise one or more user limits, one or more private node limits, one or more entity limits, one or more event limits, and one or more private action limits;

comparing, by the one or more processing devices, the private action taken and the one or more users, the one or more private nodes, the entity, and the event associated with the private action to the limits, including the one or more user limits, the one or more private node limits, the one or more entity limits, the one or more event limits, and the one or more private action limits;

allowing, by the one or more processing devices, the private action to proceed when the limits are met;

storing, by the one or more processing devices, the private information within the private block chain portion;

receiving, by the one or more processing devices, a request from the one or more users to take a public action with respect to the event on the public block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the public block chain portion comprises one or more public nodes, wherein public information associated with the event remains public within the public block chain portion, wherein the public action is confirmation of allowance or denial of the resource transfer, and wherein the public information is public resource transfer information; and

storing, by the one or more processing devices, the public information within the public block chain portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the private resource transfer information comprises one or more account numbers, one or more user names, or one or more values of the resource transfer, and wherein the public resource transfer information comprises one or more alias account numbers, one or more alias user names, one or more alias merchants, and one or more alias amounts.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the private information is stored on a private general ledger and the public information is stored on a public general ledger.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the private block chain portion is a private block chain and the public block chain portion is a public block chain, wherein the private block chain and the public block chain are separate block chains that can electronically communicate with each other.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the private block chain portion and the public block chain portion are portions of a hybrid block chain.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein further comprising:

issuing, by the one or more processing devices, an action authentication, wherein the action authentication identifies that the event was verified on the private block chain portion; and

publishing, by the one or more processing devices, the action authentication on the public block chain portion.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a single entity controls access to the private block chain portion with the private nodes.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the authentication credentials comprise user authentication credentials and node authentication credentials, and wherein authenticating the one or more users to access the private block chain portion comprises authenticating the one or more users and the one or more private nodes from which the one or more users are accessing the private block chain portion.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processing devices, the one or more user limits, the one or more private node limits, the one or more entity limits, the one or more event limits events, and the one or more private action limits.

20. A computer program product for supporting and controlling access to a block chain distributed network including a private block chain portion and a public block chain portion through which users take actions on events, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

an executable portion configured to receive a request from one or more users to access the private block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the private block chain portion comprises one or more private nodes;

an executable portion configured to receive authentication credentials from the one or more users in order to access the private block chain portion;

an executable portion configured to authenticate the one or more users to access the private block chain portion;

an executable portion configured to receive a request from the one or more users to take a private action with respect to an event on the private block chain portion, wherein private information associated with the event remains private within the private block chain portion, wherein the event is a resource transfer from a customer to an entity using a financial account from a financial institution, wherein the private action is validating the resource transfer, and wherein the private information is private resource transfer information;

an executable portion configured to identify limits, wherein the limits comprise one or more user limits, one or more private note limits, one or more entity limits, one or more event limits, and one or more private action limits;

an executable portion configured to compare the private action taken and the one or more users, the one or more private nodes, the entity, and the event associated with the private action to the limits, including the one or more user limits, the one or more private node limits, the one or more entity limits, the one or more event limits, and the one or more private action limits;

an executable portion configured to allow the private action to proceed when the limits are met;

an executable portion configured to store the private information within the private block chain portion;

an executable portion configured to receive a request from the one or more users to take a public action with respect to the event on the public block chain portion of the block chain distributed network, wherein the public block chain portion comprises one or more public nodes, wherein public information associated with the event remains public within the public block chain portion, wherein the public action is confirmation of allowance or denial of the resource transfer, and wherein the public information is public resource transfer information; and

an executable portion configured to store the public information within the public block chain portion.