Data security through dissembly of data elements or connections between elements

• US 20050080827A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaglehawk Limited
• Original Assignee: Eaglehawk Limited
• Inventors: Percival, Marvin, Tice, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,330,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A technique for providing data security through the removal of elements of a database table, be they the data fields themselves, or structural components, such as connection information that defines how, for example, the elements of a database are structured. The removed elements are placed in a secure location, retrievable only by having knowledge of a new primary key stored with the removed elements.

Claims

1. A method for providing data security comprising the steps of:

identifying an original table having a primary key field and multiple data fields;

replicating the original table in a replicate table;

adding a new primary key to the replicate table;

removing an element from the replicate table; and

storing the element removed in a secure location, with no linkage between the new primary key and the element removed.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the original table resides in a database structure.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein the removed elements are data fields.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the removed elements comprise link information.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the secure location is an object oriented database with strong access control.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the data elements in the secure location appear as a disjointed set of values.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the replicate table is stored in the secure location.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the replicate table is stored in a remote location.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein the replicate table with elements removed is generally accessible.

10. A method as in claim 1 and further providing for reconstruction of the replicate table comprising the steps of:

retrieving the new primary key associated with a requested removed element;

presenting the new primary key to the secure location to retrieve the requested removed element; and

combining the requested removed element with the replicate table.

11. A method as in claim 1 wherein the new primary key has no relationship to the original table data.

12. A method as in claim 1 wherein the original table has parent and child portions that replicate into respective parent replicate and a child replicate portions.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein a new primary key field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

14. A method as in claim 12 wherein a new link field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

15. A method as in claim 12 wherein the data value in a link field in the child portion is removed and stored in the secure location.

16. A method as in claim 14 wherein the data value in a new link field in the parent portion is removed and stored in the secure location.

17. A method as in claim 12 wherein a new primary key is added to the parent replicate and a different new primary key is added to the child replicate.

18. An apparatus for providing data security comprising:

an original data store, for storing an original table;

a replicate data store, for storing a new primary key and a replicate of the original table in which a selected removed element of the original table is not stored;

a secure location, for storing the removed element and a replicate of the new primary key, with no apparent linkage between the removed element and the new primary key.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the original table resides in a database structure.

20. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the removed elements are data fields.

21. An apparatus as in claim 20 wherein the removed elements comprise link information.

22. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the secure location is an object oriented database with strong access control.

23. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the data elements in the secure location appear as a disjointed set of values.

24. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the replicate table is stored in the secure location.

25. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the replicate table is stored in a remote location.

26. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the replicate table with elements removed is generally accessible.

27. An apparatus as in claim 18 additionally comprising a reconstructed data store for storing a reconstructed data table which originated from portions of the replicate data store and at least one element retrieved from the secure location.

28. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the new primary key has no relationship to the original table data.

29. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the original table has parent and child portions that replicate into respective parent replicate and child replicate portions.

30. An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the new primary key field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

31. An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein a new link field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

32. An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein the data value in a link field in the child portion is removed and stored in a secure location.

33. An apparatus as in claim 31 wherein the data value in a new link field in the parent portion is removed and stored in a secure location.

34. An apparatus as in claim 29 wherein a new primary key is added to the parent replicate and a different new primary key is added to the child replicate.