IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,111,820
Granted Patent B2
US 12,111,820 · App. 17/019,542 · Granted Oct 8, 2024

Ensuring secure provisioning of blockchain infrastructure

Inventors: Abhishek Malvankar (White Plains, NY); Jeronimo Irazabal (Roque Pérez, AR); Nitin Gaur (Round Rock, TX)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G06F16/2379G06F16/27
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,111,820
App. No.
17/019,542
Granted
Oct 8, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A plurality of ledger nodes within a blockchain infrastructure is continuously updated via a set of conduit nodes. The set of conduit nodes share a secure provision ledger. The secure provision ledger includes a set of updates for the blockchain infrastructure. Each conduit node within the set propagates the set of updates to a subset of the plurality of ledger nodes.

Claims (91)

1. A method for enhancing security of a blockchain infrastructure, the method comprising:

continuously updating a plurality of ledger nodes within the blockchain infrastructure via a set of conduit nodes,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes shares a secure provision ledger with at least one other conduit node in the set of conduit nodes,

wherein the secure provision ledger includes a set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes propagates the set of prescribed security updates to a subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to advise the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to install the prescribed security updates, and

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes enforces compliance with the set of prescribed security updates by performing a compliance check of the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to determine that the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes have installed the set of prescribed security updates.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a first conduit node;

providing, via the first conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determining the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

adding the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a new conduit node;

confirming the new conduit node complies with the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure;

adding the new conduit node to the set of conduit nodes within the blockchain infrastructure, the new conduit node including the secure provision ledger;

providing, via the new conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determining the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

adding the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more ledger nodes within the plurality of ledger nodes fail to comply with one or more prescribed security updates; and

decommissioning the one or more ledger nodes from the blockchain infrastructure.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein decommissioning the one or more ledger nodes further comprises:

identifying a new ledger node, the new ledger node complying with the set of prescribed security updates;

generating a snapshot of a set of blockchain information associated with the one or more ledger nodes;

replicating, on the new ledger node, the snapshot; and

adding the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes is owned by a unique entity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein software is provided as a service in a cloud environment to provision the blockchain infrastructure.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of prescribed security updates includes one or more updates selected from the group consisting of:

a software version update;

a hardware update;

a firmware update;

a core code update for a virtual machine;

a core code update for a container; and

a security standards update.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure provision ledger includes a record of updates made to the blockchain infrastructure, the record of updates including one or more security standards for provisioning components of the blockchain infrastructure.

10. A computer program product for enhancing security of a blockchain infrastructure, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to:

continuously update a plurality of ledger nodes within the blockchain infrastructure via a set of conduit nodes,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes shares a secure provision ledger with at least one other conduit node in the set of conduit nodes,

wherein the secure provision ledger includes a set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes propagates the set of prescribed security updates to a subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to advise the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to install the prescribed security updates, and

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes enforces compliance with the set of prescribed security updates by performing a compliance check of the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to determine that the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes have installed the set of prescribed security updates.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions further cause the device to:

determine a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a first conduit node;

provide, via the first conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determine the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

add the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions further cause the device to:

determine a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a new conduit node;

confirm the new conduit node complies with the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure;

add the new conduit node to the set of conduit nodes within the blockchain infrastructure, the new conduit node including the secure provision ledger;

provide, via the new conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determine the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

add the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the program instructions further cause the device to:

determine one or more ledger nodes within the plurality of ledger nodes fail to comply with one or more prescribed security updates; and

decommission the one or more ledger nodes from the blockchain infrastructure.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein decommissioning the one or more ledger nodes further comprises:

identifying a new ledger node, the new ledger node complying with the one or more new updates;

generating a snapshot of a set of blockchain information associated with the one or more ledger nodes;

replicating, on the new ledger node, the snapshot; and

adding the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes is owned by a unique entity.

16. A system for enhancing security of a blockchain infrastructure, the system comprising:

a memory subsystem, with program instructions included thereon; and

a processor in communication with the memory subsystem, wherein the program instructions cause the processor to:

continuously update a plurality of ledger nodes within the blockchain infrastructure via a set of conduit nodes,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes shares a secure provision ledger with at least one other conduit node in the set of conduit nodes,

wherein the secure provision ledger includes a set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure,

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes propagates the set of prescribed security updates to a subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to advise the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to install the prescribed security updates, and

wherein each conduit node within the set of conduit nodes enforces compliance with the set of prescribed security updates by performing a compliance check of the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes to determine that the subset of the plurality of ledger nodes have installed the set of prescribed security updates.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a first conduit node;

provide, via the first conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determine the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

add the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:

determine a new ledger node will be added to the blockchain infrastructure, wherein the new ledger node is associated with a new conduit node;

confirm the new conduit node complies with the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure;

add the new conduit node to the set of conduit nodes within the blockchain infrastructure, the new conduit node including the secure provision ledger;

provide, via the new conduit node, the set of prescribed security updates for the blockchain infrastructure to the new ledger node;

determine the new ledger node has applied the set of prescribed security updates; and

add the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the program instructions further cause the processor to:

determine one or more ledger nodes within the plurality of ledger nodes fail to comply with one or more prescribed security updates; and

decommission the one or more ledger nodes from the blockchain infrastructure.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein decommissioning the one or more ledger nodes further comprises:

identifying a new ledger node, the new ledger node complying with the set of prescribed security updates;

generating a snapshot of a set of blockchain information associated with the one or more ledger nodes;

replicating, on the new ledger node, the snapshot; and

adding the new ledger node to the blockchain infrastructure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2020
From: MALVANKAR, ABHISHEK; IRAZABAL, JERONIMO; GAUR, NITIN
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053757/0845 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220083537A1 · Mar 17, 2022