System and method for user managed encryption recovery using blockchain for data at rest
An information handling system includes a memory for storing user data and a processor. The processor is configured to create a key, create a puzzle from the key, publish the puzzle to a ledger; encrypt user data in the memory using the key; retrieve the puzzle from the ledger when a user has lost access to the key; solve the puzzle to recover the key; and decrypt the user data.
1. An information handling system comprising:
a memory for storing user data; and
a processor configured to:
create a key;
store the key in a secure memory;
create a puzzle to secure the key stored in the secure memory, wherein the puzzle is solvable through a finite amount of work using an appropriate algorithm without use of any additional encryption keys, wherein the puzzle has a scalable complexity and a strength of the puzzle is set based on a user preference;
publish the puzzle to a ledger, wherein the ledger is a shared immutable ledger to ensure the key is secure and recoverable without dependency on a technology, service or device provider being available;
encrypt the user data in the memory using the key stored in the secure memory;
retrieve the puzzle from the ledger when a user has lost access to the key;
solve the puzzle using the appropriate algorithm to recover the key stored in the secure memory; and
decrypt the user data.
2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the memory includes a secure memory for key storage, the secure memory encrypted with an encryption token.
3. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the encryption token includes a personal identification number.
4. The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the encryption token includes a value generated by a physical unclonable function.
5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the ledger is a blockchain ledger.
6. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the ledger is indexed with a user identification number.
7. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to encrypt the puzzle before storing in the ledger.
8. A method for encryption recovery, comprising:
creating a key;
storing the key in a secure memory;
creating a puzzle to secure the key stored in the secure memory, wherein the puzzle is solvable through a finite amount of work using an appropriate algorithm without use of any additional encryption keys, wherein the puzzle has a scalable complexity and a strength of the puzzle is set based on a user preference;
publishing the puzzle to a ledger, wherein the ledger is a shared immutable ledger to ensure the key is secure and recoverable without dependency on a technology, service or device provider being available;
encrypting user data using the key;
retrieving the puzzle from the ledger when a user has lost access to the key;
solving using the appropriate algorithm the puzzle to recover the key stored in the secure memory; and
decrypting the user data.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing the key in a secure memory encrypted with an encryption token.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the encryption token includes a personal identification number.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the encryption token includes a value generated by a physical unclonable function.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ledger is a blockchain ledger.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ledger is indexed with a user identification number.
14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising encrypting the puzzle prior to publishing the puzzle in the ledger.
15. An information handling system comprising:
a hardware processor configured to:
create a key;
store the key in a secure memory;
encrypt user data using the key stored in the secure memory;
decrypt the user data using a recovered key when access to the secure memory is unavailable;
create a puzzle to secure the key stored in the secure memory, wherein the puzzle is solvable through a finite amount of work using an appropriate algorithm without use of any additional encryption keys, wherein the puzzle has a scalable complexity and a strength of the puzzle is set based on a user preference;
publish the puzzle to a ledger, wherein the ledger is a shared immutable ledger to ensure the key is secure and recoverable without dependency on a technology, service or device provider being available;
retrieve the puzzle from the ledger when access to the key stored in the secure memory is lost; and
solve the puzzle using the appropriate algorithm to recover the key stored in the secure memory.
16. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to store the key in the secure memory encrypted with an encryption token.
17. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein the encryption token includes a personal identification number.
18. The information handling system of claim 16 , wherein the encryption token includes a value generated by a physical unclonable function.
19. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the ledger is a blockchain ledger.
20. The information handling system of claim 15 , wherein the ledger is indexed with a user identification number.