Contextually irrelevant file segmentation
The present specification describes a computer-implemented method. According to the method, an electronic file to be stored is received and a first context determined for the electronic file. The electronic file is split into multiple segments such that the first context of the electronic file is not discernible from any segment. The multiple segments are then distributed amongst multiple remote storage devices.
1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving an electronic file to be stored;
determining a first context for content of the electronic file to be stored, the first context indicating a nature or subject of the content of the electronic file so as to enable a determination of whether the content of the electronic file contains confidential information;
based on the determined first context of the content of the electronic file, determining whether the content of the electronic file contains confidential information;
splitting the electronic file into multiple segments such that the first context of the electronic file is not discernible from any segment;
determining at least one first segment of the segments that is to be more secure than others of the segments;
distributing the multiple segments amongst multiple remote storage devices, wherein the first segment is distributed to a remote storage device on a private network;
generating a metadata file to indicate how to assemble the multiple segments to re-construct the electronic file;
splitting the metadata file indicating how to assemble the multiple segments of the electronic file into multiple metadata segments and distributing the multiple metadata segments amongst the multiple remote storage devices such that a merge engine compiles multiple metadata segments from the multiple remote storage devices to reconstruct the electronic file, wherein splitting the metadata file comprises storing a graphical map indicating relations between different metadata segments to provide instructions for re-assembling the metadata file, the metadata file then providing instructions for re-assembling the electronic file; and
altering a splitting parameter of the electronic file based on a change to a security characteristic of the electronic file, altering the splitting parameter including updating metadata associated with the electronic file, the metadata associated with the electronic file used to identify a splitting arrangement and how to assemble the multiple segments.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a second context for each of the multiple segments; and
comparing the second context for each of the multiple segments to the first context of the electronic file.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising, responsive to the second context for a segment indicating that the segment contains confidential information:
re-splitting the electronic file into multiple segments;
determining a third context for each of the re-split multiple segments; and
comparing the third context for each of the re-split multiple segments to the first context of the electronic file.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising using a support vector machine (SVM) or convoluted neural network (CNN) as a context determining engine to determine if the electronic file includes confidential information, wherein the CNN identifies keypoints in an image based on contextualized visual data of the electronic file and compares the image, using those keypoints, to a database of images to determine a subject matter of the image and the electronic file.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising, determining a number of segments to split the electronic file into, wherein determining a number of segments to split the electronic file into is based on:
an electronic file type;
an electronic file size;
a number of remote storage devices;
contents of the electronic file;
a subscription agreement related to the remote storage devices;
a level of security of the electronic file;
a network speed;
historical information relating to electronic file breach; and
a target level of security.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising using a support vector machine (SVM) as a context determining engine to determine if the electronic file includes confidential information generating a metadata file to indicate how to assemble the multiple segments to re construct the electronic file.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a number of segments to split the electronic file into, wherein determining a number of segments to split the electronic file into is based on a number of remote storage devices or a network speed splitting the metadata file into metadata segments; and distributing the metadata segments amongst the multiple remote storage devices.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising encrypting the segments of the electronic file and the metadata segments.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising rearranging data within each segment to achieve shuffling of the data within each segment.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein splitting the electronic file into multiple segments comprises:
determining data types associated with the electronic file; and
splitting the electronic file such that similar data types are included in different segments to be distributed to different remote storage devices.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
classifying each segment; and
distributing, based on a segment classification, a segment to a predetermined remote storage device.
12. A system, comprising:
a data splitting engine to split an electronic file into multiple segments until a second context of each of the multiple segments is unrelated to a first context of the electronic file, the first context indicating a nature or subject of the content of the electronic file so as to enable a determination of whether the content of the electronic file contains confidential information;
a context determining engine to determine:
the first context of the electronic file; and
the second context of the multiple segments; and
a transmit engine to, responsive to the first context of the electronic file being unrelated to the second context of the multiple segments, transmit the multiple segments amongst multiple remote storage devices;
the transmit engine to:
generate a metadata file to indicate how to assemble the multiple segments to re-construct the electronic file; and to split the metadata file indicating how to assemble the multiple segments of the electronic file into multiple metadata segments,
distribute the metadata segments amongst the multiple remote storage devices such that a merge engine compiles multiple metadata segments from the multiple remote storage devices to reconstruct the electronic file,
store a graphical map indicating relations between different metadata segments to provide instructions for re-assembling the metadata file, the metadata file then providing instructions for re-assembling the electronic file,
alter a splitting parameter of the electronic file based on a change to the security characteristics of the electronic file, altering the splitting parameter including updating metadata associated with the electronic file, the metadata associated with the electronic file used to identify a splitting arrangement and how to assemble the multiple segments.
13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising the merge engine to, responsive to a request to read the electronic file, compile the multiple segments.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transmit engine is further to:
determine at least one first segment of the segments that is to be more secure than others of the segments; and
distribute the multiple segments amongst multiple remote storage devices, wherein the first segment is distributed to a remote storage device on a private network.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data splitting engine is to split portions of the electronic file that have a target level of security and alter a splitting parameter of the electronic file based on a change to a security characteristic of the electronic file.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the context determining engine is a natural language processor.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the data splitting engine is to split the electronic file into multiple segments such that a second context of each of the multiple segments is:
dissimilar from the first context of the electronic file; and
undiscernible.
18. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor, to cause the processor to:
receive, by the processor, an electronic file to be stored;
determine, by the processor, that the electronic file is to be split into contextually unrelated segments;
determine, by the processor, a first context for the electronic file to be stored, the first context indicating a nature or subject of content of the electronic file so as to enable a determination of whether the content of the electronic file contains confidential information and a security level of the electronic file based on the confidential information;
split, by the processor, the electronic file into multiple segments such that the first context of the electronic file is not discernible and unrelated to a second context of any segment;
generate, by the processor, a metadata file that comprise instructions to assemble the segments to reconstruct the electronic file;
splitting the metadata file indicating how to assemble the multiple segments of the electronic file into multiple metadata segments and distributing the multiple metadata segments amongst multiple remote storage devices such that a merge engine compiles multiple metadata segments from the multiple remote storage devices to reconstruct the electronic file, wherein splitting the metadata comprise storing a graphical map indicating relations between different metadata segments to provide instructions for re-assembling the metadata file, the metadata file then providing instructions for re-assembling the electronic file;
distribute, by the processor, the multiple segments and metadata segments amongst multiple remote storage devices; and
alter a splitting parameter of the electronic file based on a change to a security characteristic of the electronic file, altering the splitting parameter including updating metadata associated with the electronic file, the metadata associated with the electronic file used to identify a splitting arrangement and how to assemble the multiple segments.
19. The computer program product of claim 18 , further comprising using metadata of the electronic file in determining the security level of the electronic file and whether, by the processor, that the electronic file is to be split into contextually unrelated segments.
20. The computer program of claim 19 , further comprising program instructions executable by the processor, to cause the processor to alter a splitting parameter of the electronic file based on a change to a security characteristic of the electronic file.