Secure data parser method and system

• US 8,332,638 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2012
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Security First Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: Security First Corp
• Inventors: Orsini, Rick L., VanZandt, John, O'Hare, Mark S., Davenport, Roger S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Thanhnga B
• Application Number:
  US13/399,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20120179910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 713/162, 713/167, 713/168, 380/44, 380277-279
• US Class Current: 713/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/40 by quorum, i.e. whereby two or more security principals are required
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/38215 Use of certificates or encrypted proofs of transaction rights
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3823 combining multiple encryption tools for a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1016 Devices or methods for securing the PIN and other transaction-data, e.g. by encryption arrangements for secret communication, see H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/68 : Special signature format, e.g. XML format
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/805 : Lightweight hardware, e.g. radio-frequency identification [RFID] or sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• 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 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0816 : Key establishment, i.e. cryptographic processes or cryptographic protocols whereby a shared secret becomes available to two or more parties, for subsequent use
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/085 : Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 : Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 : Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 : involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 : involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for securing sensitive data from unauthorized access or use. The method and system of the present invention is useful in a wide variety of settings, including commercial settings generally available to the public which may be extremely large or small with respect to the number of users. The method and system of the present invention is also useful in a more private setting, such as with a corporation or governmental agency, as well as between corporation, governmental agencies or any other entity.

Claims

1. A method for securing a data set, the method steps implemented by a programmed computer system, the method steps comprising:

encrypting, using a computer, the data set based on a first key to produce an encrypted data set;

generating, using a computer, data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;

separating, using a computer, the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information;

including, using a computer, in the plurality of shares data indicative of the first key;

encrypting, using a computer, the plurality of shares;

causing, using a computer, each of the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations; and

causing, using a computer, information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored elsewhere than the storage locations of the plurality of shares;

wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares and the information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising causing a plurality of data units in each of the shares to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the shares in respective separate storage locations comprises storing the shares on at least two separate storage devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein encrypting the plurality of shares comprises encrypting each of the plurality of shares with a different key other than the first key, the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares comprises the different keys, and causing the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored comprises storing each of the different keys with a share other than the share encrypted by the respective different key.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to carry out a method for securing a data set, the method comprising the steps of:

encrypting the data set based on a first key to produce an encrypted data set;

generating data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;

separating the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information;

including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the first key;

encrypting the plurality of shares;

causing each of the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations; and

causing information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored elsewhere than the storage locations of the plurality of shares;

wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares and the information.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises causing a plurality of data units of the encrypted data set to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the step of storing the shares in respective separate storage locations comprises storing the shares on at least two separate storage devices.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein encrypting the plurality of shares comprises encrypting each of the plurality of shares with a different key other than the first key, the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares comprises the different keys, and causing the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored comprises storing each of the different keys with a share other than the share encrypted by the respective different key.

15. A computer system for securing a data set, the system comprising:

at least one processor;

a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer system to carry out a method for securing a data set, the method comprising the steps of;

encrypting the data set based on a first key to produce an encrypted data set;

generating data splitting information, wherein the data splitting information is usable to determine into which of a plurality of shares of data a unit of data of the encrypted data set will be placed;

separating the encrypted data set into the plurality of shares based on the data splitting information;

including in the plurality of shares data indicative of the first key;

encrypting the plurality of shares;

causing each of the plurality of shares to be stored in respective separate storage locations; and

causing information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored elsewhere than the storage locations of the plurality of shares;

wherein the data set is restorable by accessing less than all, but at least a threshold number of, the plurality of shares and the information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a deterministic technique.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data set comprises using a substantially random technique.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises causing a plurality of data units of the encrypted data set to be rearranged relative to one another after the separating step.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the step of separating the encrypted data into the plurality of shares comprises causing the plurality of shares to have a substantially randomly distribution of the encrypted data set.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the separate storage locations are located on at least two separate storage devices.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein encrypting the plurality of shares comprises encrypting each of the plurality of shares with a different key other than the first key, the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares comprises the different keys, and causing the information required to decrypt the plurality of shares to be stored comprises storing each of the different keys with a share other than the share encrypted by the respective different key.