Secure, limited-access database system and method

A database system regulating access to one or more data records according to authorized access rights, the database system comprising:

• one or more data crystals storing one or more data records in an obfuscated format;
• one or more iterators, each iterator programmed to access, deobfuscate, and return at least one of the one or more data records in response to a data request;
• one or more queries, each query predefined to receive an indication of an authorized type of data requirement, to request at least one data record from the iterator, and to select from among the returned at least one data record a requested data record satisfying the data requirement;
• and
• a key crystal granting access rights for the database system;
• wherein:
• the access rights include query permissions;
• the query permissions divide the one or more queries into active queries and inactive queries;
• and
• the inactive queries are inaccessible during operation of the database system.

A database system regulating access to one or more data records according to authorized access rights, the database system comprising:

• one or more data crystals storing one or more data records in an obfuscated format;
• one or more iterators, each iterator programmed to access, deobfuscate, and return at least one of the one or more data records in response to a data request;
• one or more queries, each query predefined to receive an indication of an authorized type of data requirement, to request at least one data record from the iterator, and to select from among the returned at least one data record a requested data record satisfying the data requirement;
• a key crystal granting access rights for the database system;
• and
• a versionless iterator and installable code for the versionless iterator, the installable code allowing the versionless iterator to deobfuscate and access the one or more data records in a different version of a corresponding data crystal.

A database system regulating access to one or more data records according to authorized access rights, the database system comprising:

• one or more data crystals storing one or more data records in an obfuscated format;
• one or more iterators, each iterator programmed to access, deobfuscate, and return at least one of the one or more data records in response to a data request;
• one or more queries, each query predefined to receive an indication of an authorized type of data requirement, to request at least one data record from the iterator, and to select from among the returned at least one data record a requested data record satisfying the data requirement;
• and
• a key crystal granting access rights for the database system;
• wherein the access rights are limited according to a criterion selected from a group consisting of:
• a customer identifier, a customer site, a customer computer system, an expiration date, and a number of times accessing the database system.

A controlled access database system comprising:

• a plurality of data crystals, each data crystal containing at least one data record employing an obfuscation technique;
• an iterator programmed to access the at least one data record according to the obfuscation technique;
• at least one query of a predefined type:
• wherein one or more of the at least one query is called by an application with a data requirement;
• wherein the data requirement of the application determines the one or more called query;
• and
• wherein the one or more called query employs the iterator to access the at least one data record;
• and
• a key crystal granting access rights to the database system;
• wherein the access rights are limited according to a criterion selected from a group consisting of:
• a customer identifier, a customer site, a customer computer system, an expiration date, and a number of times accessing the database system.

A method for building a controlled-access database for preventing unauthorized access to data records, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a data record;
• storing the data record in a data crystal in an obfuscated format;
• providing an iterator to access and deobfuscate the obfuscated data record;
• providing a query to request the iterator to locate and access the data record only in accordance with a preauthorized type of data requirement;
• providing a key crystal authorizing use of the data crystal and the query according to the preauthorized type of data requirement;
• obtaining a second data record;
• storing the second data record in a second data crystal in an obfuscated format;
• and
• specifying, in the key crystal, access rights rendering the first data crystal active and the second data crystal inactive.

A method for building a controlled-access database for preventing unauthorized access to data records, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a data record;
• storing the data record in a data crystal in an obfuscated format;
• providing an iterator to access and deobfuscate the obfuscated data record;
• providing a query to request the iterator to locate and access the data record only in accordance with a preauthorized type of data requirement;
• providing a key crystal authorizing use of the data crystal and the query according to the preauthorized type of data requirement;
• providing a second query to request the iterator to locate and access the data record only in accordance with a second preauthorized data requirement;
• and
• specifying, in the key crystal, access rights rendering the first query active and the second query inactive.

A method for building a controlled-access database for preventing unauthorized access to data records, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a data record;
• storing the data record in a data crystal in an obfuscated format;
• providing an iterator to access and deobfuscate the obfuscated data record;
• providing a query to request the iterator to locate and access the data record only in accordance with a preauthorized type of data requirement;
• providing a key crystal authorizing use of the data crystal and the query according to the preauthorized type of data requirement;
• and
• storing a plurality of data records;
• wherein:
• the iterator accesses and deobfuscates one or more of the plurality of data records and returns the one or more data records to the query;
• and
• the query determines if each of the one or more returned data records satisfies the preauthorized data requirement.

A method for building a controlled-access database for preventing unauthorized access to data records, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a data record;
• storing the data record in a data crystal in an obfuscated format;
• providing an iterator to access and deobfuscate the obfuscated data record;
• providing a query to request the iterator to locate and access the data record only in accordance with a preauthorized type of data requirement;
• providing a key crystal authorizing use of the data crystal and the query according to the preauthorized type of data requirement;
• and
• creating an application for calling the query, the application having direct access to the query and having access to the iterator, the data crystal, and the obfuscated data record only through the query.

A method for creating a controlled-access database and providing a customer with customer-specific access rights to the database, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of data crystals, each data crystal to store a data record in an obfuscated format;
• providing a plurality of iterators, each iterator to deobfuscate and access the data record in a corresponding data crystal;
• providing a plurality of predefined queries, wherein each query calls one or more iterators in response to receiving an indication of a specific data requirement;
• and
• providing a database customer a key crystal, the key crystal granting query permissions and crystal permissions, the crystal permissions specifying inactive crystals and active crystals among the plurality of data crystals, and the query permissions specifying inactive queries and active queries among the plurality of queries.