Data retention management in databases

A computer-implemented method of data retention management in databases, the method comprising:

• defining an identifying data set corresponding to an entity, wherein the identifying data set includes semi-identifying attributes with semi-identifying attribute values;
• creating descriptive records corresponding to the semi-identifying attributes;
• generating hash values for individual semi-identifying attribute values;
• based on the descriptive records and generated hash values, creating retention records with retention attributes, wherein the retention record persists the generated hash values and descriptive records associated with the entity after the entity is deleted from the database, and wherein each retention attribute stores the semi-identifying attributes and a position of each semi-identifying attribute;
• generating a composed retention attribute based on the position of the semi-identifying attribute and on applying cryptographic hash algorithms to each of the retention attributes;
• storing the composed retention attribute in a database;
• receiving a request to permanently delete the entity from the database;
• and
• permanently deleting the entity from the database.

A computer system for data retention management in databases, comprising:

• a computer memory to store program code;
• and
• a processor to execute the program code to:
• define an identifying data set corresponding to the entity, wherein the identifying data set includes semi-identifying attributes with semi-identifying attribute values;
• create descriptive records corresponding to the semi-identifying attributes;
• generate hash values for individual semi-identifying attribute values;
• based on the descriptive records and generated hash values, create retention records with retention attributes, wherein the retention record persists the generated hash values and descriptive records associated with the entity after the entity is deleted from the database, and wherein each retention attribute stores the semi-identifying attributes and a position of each semi-identifying attribute;
• generate a composed retention attribute based on the position of the semi-identifying attribute and on applying cryptographic hash algorithms to each of the retention attributes;
• and
• store the composed retention attribute in the database.