File access security method and means

• US 4,588,991 A
• Filed: 03/07/1983
• Issued: 05/13/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1983
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Atalla Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Atalla Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Atalla, Martin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Application Number:
  US06/472,609
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 235/380, 235/382
• US Class Current: 713/165
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1408 by using cryptography for digital transmission H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption

Abstract

An improved file access security technique and associated apparatus accesses data which is stored in encrypted form under one encryption key and re-stores the data re-encrypted under another encryption key, and produces a record of each access and data re-encryption both as the control source of encryption keys for access and re-entry of encrypted data and as a secured audit record of users that had access to each file.

Claims

1. Method of securing data files in storage against unauthorized access, comprising the steps of:

encrypting file data as a selected logical combination thereof with an initial one of a plurality of encryption key codes to produce file data in encrypted form for storage at selected file address locations;

establishing a record of accesses to each selected file address location and the one of the plurality of encryption key codes with which the file data at the address location is encrypted;

processing a request for access to file data at a selected file address location by determining from the record the number of prior accesses thereof and the encryption key code associated therewith;

decrypting file data at the selected file address location using said associated encryption key code;

re-encrypting file data for said selected file address location using a new one of said plurality of encryption key codes in said selected logical combination;

storing the newly re-encrypted file data at the accessed file address location; and

modifying the record to indicate an additional access to the selected file address location and the new encryption key code associated therewith.

2. Method of securing data files according to claim 1 wherein in the step of decrypting, file data at a selected file address location is decrypted using said initial encryption key code in response to determination from the record that said selected file address location was not previously accessed.

3. Method of securing data files according to claim 1 comprising the additional steps of establishing a file of user access authorizations;

and prior to accessing a selected file address location

determining the authorization status of a user to gain access to the selected file address location.

4. Method of securing data files according to claim 3 comprising the additional step of selectively altering the access authorization of a user to gain subsequent access to the selected file address location in response to re-encryption of the file data for storage at the selected file address location.

5. Method of securing data files according to claim 1 comprising the steps of:

reinitializing all the file data by decrypting the file data at each selected file address location using the encryption key code therefor determined from the record; and

re-encrypting the file data at each such file address location using a new initial one of a plurality of key codes.

6. Method of securing data files according to claim 5 wherein in the reinitialization step the file data at any file address location which is not indicated in the record to have been accessed previously is decrypted using the initial encryption key code.

7. Apparatus for securing data files in storage against unauthorized access, comprising:

storage means for storing file data in encrypted form at selectable file address locations;

encryption means for supplying encrypted file data to a selected file address location as the logical encoding combination of file data and an encryption key signal applied thereto;

generator means for applying selected encryption key signals to the encryption means;

record means for producing indication of selected file address locations and key code signals associated with encryption of file data stored therein;

circuit means responsive to identification of a selected file address location for determining from said record means the encryption key signal associated therewith for setting the generator means to supply the associated encryption key signal;

decryption means disposed to receive encryption key signals from the generator means and encrypted file data from the storage means and operable in accordance with said logical encoding combination to decrypt the file data at said selected file address location; and

means operable upon the decrypted file data for altering the generator means to supply a new encryption key signal for restoring the file data at the selected file address location newly encrypted with a new encryption key signal, said means altering the record means to produce an indication of the new encryption key signal associated with file data in the selected file address location.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said circuit means is responsive to the indication in said record means that a selected file address location was not previously accessed for setting said generator means to supply the initial encryption key signal to the decryption means.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 comprising:

access record means for storing data representative of the authorization of users to selectively access file data in said storage means; and

means disposed to receive identification data from a user, and coupled to said circuit means for inhibiting the generator means from supplying an encryption key signal to said decryption means for an unauthorized, identified user.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 comprising means responsive to re-storing of file data at the selected file address location newly encrypted with a new encryption key signal for altering the identified user'"'"'s authorization in said access record means to access said selected file address location.

11. Apparatus as in claim 7 comprising initializing means coupled to said generator means, said encryption means and decryption means and to said record means for setting the generator means to selectively decrypt file data in each file address location using the encryption key signals from said generator means established from the record means for each such file address location, and for re-encrypting the decrypted file data for each file address location using a new initial encryption key signal for re-storage at the respective file address location.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said initializing means responds to indication from said record means of no previous access to a selected file address location for decrypting file data therein in using an initial encryption key signal and for re-encrypting the decrypted file data using a new initial encryption key signal to re-store the newly encrypted file data at the respective file address location.

13. A file access record produced by the process comprising the steps of:

storing at selected file address locations file data that is encrypted as the logical combination of file data and selected ones of a plurality of encryption key signals;

decrypting file data at a selected file address location using the encryption key signal associated therewith in accordance with said logical combination;

re-encrypting the decrypted file data as a logical combination thereof and a new encryption key signal for restoring at the corresponding file address location; and

producing said file access record as the compilation at least of the number of times each selected file address location was decrypted and information indicative of the encryption key signals with which the file data at each selected file address location was re-encrypted and re-stored therein.