Peer-to-peer network information retrieval

Abstract

In a typical peer-to-peer network, any user of the peer-to-peer network may request a lookup of a key and its associated value. To limit access to a stored key-value pair, a storage node may verify that the lookup message requesting the key-value pair is authorized to access the payload. For example, the storage node may verify that the lookup message provides a retrieval identifier included in an access list included in the value of the stored key-value pair. The lookup message may include an origination identifier which may verify the source of the lookup message. If the lookup message is verified, the storage node may send the payload to the node sending the lookup message. If the payload is encrypted, the storage node may also send a group key suitable for decrypting the payload. The group key may be decrypted using a key known by the user associated with the provided retrieval identifier.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.