Method and apparatus for preserving error correction capabilities during data encryption/decryption
First Claim
1. A process for applying cryptography to data while preserving error correction capabilities, comprising the steps of:
- applying an error correction code generation scheme to data to which said cryptography is to be applied;
providing a random sequence generator;
generating a random data sequence;
creating a redundancy sequence for error correction by applying the same error correction code generation scheme to the random data sequence as that which had been applied to said data to which cryptography is to be applied; and
combining said random data sequence with said redundancy sequence, wherein said redundancy sequence is equal to or greater than the size of data to be encrypted.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data encryption/decryption system encrypts data and its associated redundancy bytes while retaining the error correction capabilities of the original data. The error correction function can then be removed, for example, from a storage drive and performed by, e.g. a host processor or a other entity. The storage drive reads the raw data, including error correction codes, from the media and encrypts the data by exclusive OR-ing each error correction code (ECC) block with a new ECC block which was generated using random data and the same ECC scheme. Error correction of the new data block can be performed in the host processor or other entity without exposing the original data. The error correction is valid for any errors that occurred in the original raw data because the ECC redundancy bytes of the random data block were created using the same ECC generator as was used with the original data. A trusted entity decrypts the error corrected data block by creating a random data block that is the equivalent of the random data block created in the storage drive. The error corrected data block is exclusive OR-ed with the random data block and is returned its original decrypted and error corrected state.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A process for applying cryptography to data while preserving error correction capabilities, comprising the steps of:
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applying an error correction code generation scheme to data to which said cryptography is to be applied; providing a random sequence generator; generating a random data sequence; creating a redundancy sequence for error correction by applying the same error correction code generation scheme to the random data sequence as that which had been applied to said data to which cryptography is to be applied; and combining said random data sequence with said redundancy sequence, wherein said redundancy sequence is equal to or greater than the size of data to be encrypted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for applying cryptography to data while preserving error correction capabilities, comprising:
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means for applying an error correction code generation scheme to data to which said cryptography is to be applied, a pseudo random number generator for generating a random data sequence; said pseudo random number generator creating a redundancy sequence for error correction by applying the same error correction code generation scheme to the random data sequence as that which had been applied to said data to which cryptography is to be applied; and means for combining said random data sequence with said redundancy sequence, wherein said redundancy sequence is equal to or greater than the size of data to be encrypted. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification