Practical itemized encryption for cryptographic erasure (PIECE)

1. A method, comprising:

identifying a plurality of ciphertext blocks stored in a memory device to erase;

in response to identifying the plurality of ciphertext blocks to erase, performing a cryptographic erasure of the plurality of ciphertext blocks, wherein the cryptographic erasure comprises:

encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key; and

destroying the random key in response to encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating a plurality of random keys, wherein the plurality of random keys comprises the random key for each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks; and

encrypting each the plurality of ciphertext blocks using a respective one of the plurality of random keys.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein

the plurality of ciphertext blocks are encrypted using a plurality of encryption algorithms;

a first ciphertext block is encrypted using a first encryption algorithm of the plurality of encryption algorithms;

a second ciphertext block is encrypted using a second encryption algorithm of the plurality of encryption algorithms;

the first encryption algorithm and the second encryption algorithm are different.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of random keys is destroyed in response to encrypting a respective one of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein one of the plurality of encryption algorithms is randomly selected to encrypt one of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the random key is generated using a Random Number Generator (RNG) or a Quantum Random Number Generators (QRNG).

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key comprises performing a bitwise Exclusive Or (XOR) using each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks and the random key.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the plurality of ciphertext blocks are generated by encrypting a plurality of cleartext blocks of a data file using at least one cryptographic key; and

a number of the plurality of cleartext blocks is same as a number of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein a size of each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks is determined based on a mode of operation for encrypting the plurality of cleartext blocks.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cryptographic erasure comprises:

generating a plurality of doubly-encrypted ciphertext blocks by encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with the random key; and

storing the plurality of doubly-encrypted ciphertext blocks in the memory device in place of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

11. A system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to:

identify a plurality of ciphertext blocks stored in a memory device to erase;

in response to identifying the plurality of ciphertext blocks to erase, perform a cryptographic erasure of the plurality of ciphertext blocks, wherein the cryptographic erasure comprises:

encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key; and

destroying the random key in response to encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate a plurality of random keys, wherein the plurality of random keys comprises the random key for each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks; and

encrypt each the plurality of ciphertext blocks using a respective one of the plurality of random keys.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein

the plurality of ciphertext blocks are encrypted using a plurality of encryption algorithms; a first ciphertext block is encrypted using a first encryption algorithm of the plurality of encryption algorithms;

a second ciphertext block is encrypted using a second encryption algorithm of the plurality of encryption algorithms;

the first encryption algorithm and the second encryption algorithm are different.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of random keys is destroyed in response to encrypting a respective one of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein one of the plurality of encryption algorithms is randomly selected to encrypt one of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

16. The system of claim 11 , wherein encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key comprises performing a bitwise Exclusive Or (XOR) using each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks and the random key.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein

a number of the plurality of cleartext blocks is same as a number of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein a size of each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks is determined based on an encryption algorithm used for encrypting the plurality of cleartext blocks.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cryptographic erasure comprises:

generating a plurality of doubly-encrypted ciphertext blocks by encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key; and

storing the plurality of doubly-encrypted ciphertext blocks in the memory device in place of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.

20. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions, such that, when executed, causes a processor to:

identify a plurality of ciphertext blocks stored in a memory device to erase;

in response to determining to erase the plurality of ciphertext blocks to erase, perform a cryptographic erasure of the plurality of ciphertext blocks, wherein the cryptographic erasure comprises:

encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks with a random key; and

destroying each random key in response to encrypting each of the plurality of ciphertext blocks.