System and method for efficiently deleting a file from secure storage served by a storage system
US8397083B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 2006 |
| Grant date | Mar 12, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2463/062
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method efficiently deletes a file from secure storage, i.e., a cryptainer, served by a storage system. The cryptainer is configured to store a plurality of files, each of which stores an associated file key within a special metadata portion of the file. Notably, special metadata is created by a security appliance coupled to the storage system and attached to each file to thereby create two portions of the file: the special metadata portion and the main, “file data” portion. The security appliance then stores the file key within the specially-created metadata portion of the file. A cryptainer key is associated with the cryptainer. Each file key is used to encrypt the file data portion within its associated file and the cryptainer key is used to encrypt the part of the special metadata portion of each file. To delete the file from the cryptainer, the file key of the file is deleted and the special metadata portions of all other files stored in the cryptainer are re-keyed using a new cryptainer key. Thereafter, the “old” cryptainer key is deleted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.