Data security through dissembly of data elements or connections between elements

• US 7,330,851 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaglehawk Limited
• Original Assignee: Eaglehawk Limited
• Inventors: Percival, Marvin, Tice, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): To; Baoquoc N.
• Application Number:
  US10/920,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/634
• 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 and multiple data fields;

replicating the original table in a replicate table;

adding a new primary key and a link field to the replicate table;

removing an element from the replicate table; and

storing the element removed in a secure location, with no direct linkage between the new primary key and the element removed from the replicate table;

requesting the new primary key;

retrieving the new primary key associated with the element stored in the secure location;

presenting the new primary key and the link field to the secure location to retrieve the element stored in the secure location; and

combining the element, stored in the secure location, with the replicate table.

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 access control attributes.

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 wherein the new primary key has no relationship to the original table data.

11. 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.

12. A method as in claim 11 wherein a new primary key field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

13. A method as in claim 11 wherein a new link field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the data value in the new link field in the child portion is removed and stored in the secure location.

15. A method as in claim 13 wherein the data value in the new link field in the parent portion is removed and stored in the secure location.

16. A method as in claim 11 wherein a new primary key is added to the parent replicate and a different new primary key is added to the child replicate.

17. An apparatus for providing data security comprising:

a storage unit an, for storing an original table;

a replicate data store, for storing a new primary key, a link field 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 direct linkage between the removed element of the replicate of the original table and the new primary key;

a connection, to request the new primary key and the link field to reconstruct a data table; and

a second storage unit to store the reconstructed data table which originated from portions of the replicate data store and at least one element retrieved from the secure location.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the original table resides in a database structure.

19. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the removed elements are data fields.

20. An apparatus as in claim 19 wherein the removed elements comprise link information.

21. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the secure location is an object oriented database with access control attributes.

22. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the data elements in the secure location appear as a disjointed set of values.

23. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the replicate table is stored in the secure location.

24. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the replicate table is stored in a remote location.

25. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the replicate table with elements removed is generally accessible.

26. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the new primary key has no relationship to the original table data.

27. An apparatus as in claim 17 wherein the original table has parent and child portions that replicate into respective parent replicate and child replicate portions.

28. An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein the new primary key field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

29. An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein a new link field is added to the parent replicate and the child replicate.

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

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

32. An apparatus as in claim 27 wherein a new primary key is added to the parent replicate and a different new primary key is added to the child replicate.