Method and apparatus for obfuscating slice names in a dispersed storage system

1. A method for execution by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a computing device to secure a slice name, the method comprises:

receiving, by an interface of the computing device, a data segment for dispersed storage;

encoding, by the DS processing module of the computing device, the data segment in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce a plurality of error coded data slices;

generating, by the DS processing module of the computing device, a slice name for an error coded data slice of the plurality of error coded data slices, wherein the slice name includes a dispersed storage routing information section and a data identification section;

performing, by the DS processing module of the computing device, a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replacing, by the DS processing module of the computing device, within the slice name, the data identification section with the secure data identification section to produce a secure slice name.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the securing function comprises calculating a hash of the slice name.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing the securing function comprises performing a deterministic mathematical function on the slice name.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data identification section comprises identification of the data segment and a data object, wherein the data segment is one of a plurality of data segments of the data object.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

generating, by the DS processing module, slice names for remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices to produce a plurality of slice names;

for each of at least a pillar width minus a decode threshold number of the plurality of slice names, securing the slices names by:

performing, by the DS processing module, a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replacing, by the DS processing module, the data identification section with the secure data identification section.

6. A method for execution by a dispersed storage (DS) processing module of a computing device, the method comprises:

receiving, by an interface of the computing device, an access request to a data segment, wherein the data segment is encoded in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce a plurality of error coded data slices that are stored in a plurality of DS storage units;

generating, by the DS processing module of the computing device, a slice name for an error coded data slice of the plurality of error coded data slices, wherein the slice name includes a dispersed storage routing information section and a data identification section;

performing, by the DS processing module of the computing device, a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section;

replacing, by the DS processing module of the computing device, within the slice name, the data identification section with the secure data identification section to produce a secure slice name; and

accessing, by the DS processing module of the computing device, the error coded slice based on the secure slice name.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the securing function comprises calculating a hash of the slice name.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the performing the securing function comprises performing a deterministic mathematical function on the slice name.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the data identification section comprises identification of the data segment and a data object, wherein the data segment is one of a plurality of data segments of the data object.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprises:

generating, by the DS processing module, slice names for remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices to produce a plurality of slice names;

for each of at least a decode threshold minus one number of the plurality of slice names, securing the slices names to produce secure slices names by:

performing, by the DS processing module, a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replacing, by the DS processing module, the data identification section with the secure data identification section; and

accessing, by the DS processing module, the remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices based on the secure slice names.

11. A computing device comprises:

an interface;

memory; and

a processor operably coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is operable to:

receive, via the interface, a data segment for dispersed storage;

encode the data segment in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce a plurality of error coded data slices;

generate a slice name for an error coded data slice of the plurality of error coded data slices, wherein the slice name includes a dispersed storage routing information section and a data identification section;

perform a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replace, within the slice name, the data identification section with the secure data identification section to produce a secure slice name.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the processor further functions to perform the securing function by calculating a hash of the slice name.

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the processor further functions to perform the securing function by performing a deterministic mathematical function on the slice name.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the data identification section includes identification of the data segment and a data object, wherein the data segment is one of a plurality of data segments of the data object.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the processor further functions to:

generate slice names for remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices to produce a plurality of slice names;

for each of at least a pillar width minus a decode threshold number of the plurality of slice names, secure the slices names by:

performing a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replacing the data identification section with the secure data identification section.

16. A computing device comprises:

an interface;

memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and the interface, wherein the processor is operable to:

receive, via the interface, an access request to a data segment, wherein the data segment is encoded in accordance with an error coding dispersed storage function to produce a plurality of error coded data slices that are stored in a plurality of DS storage units;

generate a slice name for an error coded data slice of the plurality of error coded data slices, wherein the slice name includes a dispersed storage routing information section and a data identification section;

perform a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section;

replace, within the slice name, the data identification section with the secure data identification section to produce a secure slice name; and

access, via the interface, the error coded slice based on the secure slice name.

17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the processor further functions to perform the securing function by calculating a hash of the slice name.

18. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the processor further functions to perform the securing function by performing a deterministic mathematical function on the slice name.

19. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the data identification section includes identification of the data segment and a data object, wherein the data segment is one of a plurality of data segments of the data object.

20. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the processor further functions to:

generate slice names for remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices to produce a plurality of slice names;

for each of at least a decode threshold minus one number of the plurality of slice names, secure the slices names to produce secure slices names by:

performing a securing function on at least the data identification section to produce a secure data identification section; and

replacing the data identification section with the secure data identification section; and

accessing, via the interface, the remaining ones of the plurality of error coded data slices based on the secure slice names.