Poly-logarithmic range queries on encrypted data

1. A computer-implemented method for performing range queries over encrypted data, the method being executed by a server-side computing device and comprising:

receiving, by the server-side computing device, a range query token from a client-side computing device;

determining, by the server-side computing device, one or more of whether a tree list of an encrypted search index is empty and a range of the range query token is intersecting with a range accounted by at least one tree in the tree list, the at least one tree covering an already searched range, the encrypted search index comprising the tree list and a point list, the point list comprising one or more pointers, each pointer pointing to one of a node of a sub-tree within the encrypted search index, and a query result set;

receiving, by the server-side computing device, encrypted query results based on one of a search tree, if the tree list is not empty and a range of the range query token is at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list, and a pointer of the point list, if the tree list is empty or the range of the range query token is not at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list; and

in response to receiving the range query token, updating, by the server-side computing device, the encrypted search index based on the range query token to change one of the tree list to represent that the range of the range query token has been searched, and at least one indexed range, updating comprising executing a client-server protocol comprising actions performed by the server-side computing device and actions performed by the client-side computing device on plaintext data provided from encrypted data that is received from the server-side computing device, and using a master key held by the client-side computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises refining a search tree of the tree list at least partially based on transmitting the range query token and a previously received range query token to the client-side computing device, and receiving refined range tokens from the client-side computing device, the encrypted search index being updated based on the refined range tokens.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises extending a search tree of the tree list to provide an extended search tree at least partially based on transmitting a root node of the search tree and a previously received query corresponding to the search tree to the client-side computing device to provide a new range query token corresponding to the extended search tree.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises merging multiple search trees of the tree list to provide a merged search tree at least partially based on transmitting respective root nodes of the multiple search trees to the client-side computing device, and receiving a revised token corresponding to the merged search tree.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the multiple trees are merged in response to determining that there is no value gap between the multiple trees.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving the encrypted search index and ciphertext from the client-side computing device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tree list comprises at least one search tree based on a previously received range query token.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to one or more processors and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations for performing range queries over encrypted data, the operations comprising:

receiving, by a server-side computing device, a range query token from a client-side computing device;

determining, by the server-side computing device, one or more of whether a tree list of an encrypted search index is empty and a range of the range query token is intersecting with a range accounted by at least one tree in the tree list, the at least one tree covering an already searched range, the encrypted search index comprising the tree list and a point list, the point list comprising one or more pointers, each pointer pointing to one of a node of a sub-tree within the encrypted search index, and a query result set;

receiving, by the server-side computing device, encrypted query results based on one of a search tree, if the tree list is not empty and a range of the range query token is at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list, and a pointer of the point list, if the tree list is empty or the range of the range query token is not at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list the point list, if the tree list is empty or the range of the range query token is not at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list; and

in response to receiving the range query token, updating, by the server-side computing device, the encrypted search index based on the range query token to change one of the tree list to represent that the range of the range query token has been searched, and at least one indexed range, updating comprising executing a client-server protocol comprising actions performed by the server-side computing device and actions performed by the client-side computing device on plaintext data provided from encrypted data that is received from the server-side computing device, and using a master key held by the client-side computing device.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises refining a search tree of the tree list at least partially based on transmitting the range query token and a previously received range query token to the client-side computing device, and receiving refined range tokens from the client-side computing device, the encrypted search index being updated based on the refined range tokens.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises extending a search tree of the tree list to provide an extended search tree at least partially based on transmitting a root node of the search tree and a previously received query corresponding to the search tree to the client-side computing device to provide a new range query token corresponding to the extended search tree.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises merging multiple search trees of the tree list to provide a merged search tree at least partially based on transmitting respective root nodes of the multiple search trees to the client-side computing device, and receiving a revised token corresponding to the merged search tree.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the multiple trees are merged in response to determining that there is no value gap between the multiple trees.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein operations further comprise receiving the encrypted search index and ciphertext from the client-side computing device.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the tree list comprises at least one search tree based on a previously received range query token.

15. A system, comprising:

a server-side computing device; and

a computer-readable storage device coupled to the server-side computing device and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the server-side computing device, cause the server-side computing device to perform operations for performing range queries over encrypted data, the operations comprising:

receiving a range query token from a client-side computing device;

determining one or more of whether a tree list of an encrypted search index is empty and a range of the range query token is intersecting with a range accounted by at least one tree in the tree list, the at least one tree covering an already searched range, the encrypted search index comprising the tree list and a point list, the point list comprising one or more pointers, each pointer pointing to one of a node of a sub-tree within the encrypted search index, and a query result set;

receiving, by the server-side computing device, encrypted query results based on one of a search tree, if the tree list is not empty and a range of the range query token is at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list, and a pointer of the point list, if the tree list is empty or the range of the range query token is not at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list the point list, if the tree list is empty or the range of the range query token is not at least a sub-range of a range accounted for in the tree list; and

in response to receiving the range query token, updating, by the server-side computing device, the encrypted search index based on the range query token to change one of the tree list to represent that the range of the range query token has been searched, and at least one indexed range, updating comprising executing a client-server protocol comprising actions performed by the server-side computing device and actions performed by the client-side computing device on plaintext data provided from encrypted data that is received from the server-side computing device, and using a master key held by the client-side computing device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises refining a search tree of the tree list at least partially based on transmitting the range query token and a previously received range query token to the client-side computing device, and receiving refined range tokens from the client-side computing device, the encrypted search index being updated based on the refined range tokens.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises extending a search tree of the tree list to provide an extended search tree at least partially based on transmitting a root node of the search tree and a previously received query corresponding to the search tree to the client-side computing device to provide a new range query token corresponding to the extended search tree.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein updating the encrypted search index comprises merging multiple search trees of the tree list to provide a merged search tree at least partially based on transmitting respective root nodes of the multiple search trees to the client-side computing device, and receiving a revised token corresponding to the merged search tree.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the multiple trees are merged in response to determining that there is no value gap between the multiple trees.

20. The system of claim 15 , wherein operations further comprise receiving the encrypted search index and ciphertext from the client-side computing device.