IBM announced it has patented a new cryptography solution that is aimed at enhancing privacy and security in the cloud.
IBM has patented yet another cloud computing innovation,
this latest one for a breakthrough data encryption technique that is
expected to further data privacy and strengthen cloud computing security.
The patented breakthrough, called "fully homomorphic encryption," could enable deep
and unrestricted analysis of encrypted information—intentionally
scrambled data—without surrendering confidentiality. IBM's solution has
the potential to advance cloud computing privacy and security by
enabling vendors to perform computations on client data, such as
analyzing sales patterns, without exposing or revealing the original
data.
In recent months, IBM patented a new technique for protecting sensitive data prior to transmitting it to the cloud, a cloud-based business process management (BPM) system and a cloud security invention that prevents mobile devices from running compromised code.
Now, with its new homomorphic encryption technique,
IBM solves a daunting mathematical puzzle that confounded scientists
since the invention of public-key encryption over 30 years ago.
Invented by IBM cryptography researcher
Craig Gentry, homomorphic encryption uses a mathematical object known
as an "ideal lattice" that allows people to interact with encrypted data
in ways previously considered impossible. The breakthrough facilitates
analysis of confidential encrypted data without allowing the user to see
the private data, yet it will reveal the same detailed results as if
the original data was completely visible.
IBM received US Patent #8,565,435: Efficient implementation of fully homomorphic encryption for
the invention, which is expected to help cloud computing clients make
more informed business decisions, without compromising privacy and
security.
"Our patented invention has the potential to pave the way for more
secure cloud computing services—without having to decrypt or reveal
original data," said Gentry in a statement. "Fully homomorphic
encryption will enable companies to confidently share data and more
easily and quickly overcome challenges or take advantage of emerging
opportunities."
Following initial revelation of the homomorphic encryption breakthrough
in 2009, Gentry and co-inventor Shai Halevi began testing, refining and
pursuing a working implementation of the invention. In 2011, the scientists reported a
number of optimizations that advanced their goal of implementing the
scheme. The researchers continue to investigate homomorphic encryption
and test its practical applicability.
IBM invests more than $6 billion annually in R&D and consistently explores new
approaches to cloud computing that will deliver a competitive advantage
to the company and its clients. For 20 consecutives years, IBM has topped the list of U.S. patent recipients.
IBM has a tradition of making major cryptography breakthroughs, such as
the design of the Data Encryption Standard (DES); Hash Message
Authentication Code (HMAC); the first lattice-based encryption with a
rigorous proof-of-security; and numerous other solutions that have
helped advance data security.
In October IBM patented its technique for protecting sensitive data
prior to transmitting it to the cloud. In November, IBM patented its
cloud-based BPM system for combining big data
from cloud services with data stored on in-house IT systems to gain
insights that could enable greater business efficiency and performance.
And less than a week ago, IBM patented its solution that improves the
security of cloud applications accessed by mobile devices.
By: Darryl K. Taft
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