Secure database searching
AssigneeBusiness Partners Limited
InventorSimon Ian Bain
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for securely storing data in a database are described herein. According to an aspect, a technique may include receiving data to be stored, dividing the data into a plurality of elements, encrypting each element of the plurality of elements with an encryption function, combining the encrypted elements to form a data attribute, and storing the data attribute in the database. According to another aspect, a technique for searching a database having encrypted data attributes may include receiving a search term, encrypting the search term with an encryption function, and searching a database for records having data attributes matching the encrypted search term.
Claims9
A method of searching a database having encrypted data attributes comprising the steps of:
- receiving a search term;
- dividing the search term into a plurality of elements;
- encrypting each element of the plurality of elements with an encryption function;
- combining all of the encrypted elements to form an encrypted search term;
- modifying the encrypted search term by removing from the encrypted search term all non-alphanumeric characters and replacing the removed characters with alphanumeric characters;
- searching a database for records having data attributes matching the modified encrypted search term;
- retrieving the records having data attributes matching the encrypted search term;
- and
- decrypting the retrieved records.
A system for searching a database having encrypted data attributes comprising:
- a processor controlling one or more operations of the system;
- a database;
- and
- memory storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the system to:
- receive a search term;
- divide the search term into a plurality of elements;
- encrypt each element of the plurality of elements with an encryption function;
- combine all of the encrypted elements to form an encrypted search term;
- modifying the encrypted search term by removing from the encrypted search term all non-alphanumeric characters and replacing the removed characters with alphanumeric characters;
- search the database for records having data attributes matching the modified encrypted search term;
- retrieve the records having data attributes matching the encrypted search term;
- and
- decrypt the retrieved records.
One or more non-transitory computer readable media comprising computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a system to search a database having encrypted data attributes by:
- receiving a search term;
- dividing the search term into a plurality of elements;
- encrypting each element of the plurality of elements with an encryption function;
- combining all of the encrypted elements to form an encrypted search term;
- modifying the encrypted search term by removing from the encrypted search term all non-alphanumeric characters and replacing the removed characters with alphanumeric characters;
- searching a database for records having data attributes matching the modified encrypted search term;
- retrieving the records having data attributes matching the encrypted search term;
- and
- decrypting the retrieved records.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.