Making Searches Safer with Genaro Network
What is Searchable Encryption?
As the name implies, searchable encryption allows a party to outsource the storage of its data to another party in a private manner, while maintaining the ability to selectively search for it. At present, many files are stored in remote servers, and users need to be able to retrieve, edit, delete, or modify these files when needed. However, privacy concerns may necessitate the encryption of these data, so that the storage server cannot access the content of these data. To achieve the above requirements, we will need to use searchable encryption.
Searchable encryption plays an important role in on-chain storage. It has four main advantages: complete data protection, security across multiple devices, maintaining the integrity of data, and ensuring the compliance of the data storage method. When it comes to decentralized storage, searchable encryption can ensure the protection of a user’s data. At the same time, it ensures that searches can be conducted in a fast and efficient manner.
In data protection, the privacy of personal information should be given priority, followed by the modification of dynamic data; that is, the modification of decentralized apps (dApps) for decentralized data storage. Searchable encryption is an indispensable part of Genaro’s I/O streaming protocol (GSIOP). The following describes the types of searchable encryption included:
Categories of Searchable Encryption
Searchable encryption can be mainly divided into two methods: symmetric encryption and public-key cryptography. The security of public-key cryptography relies on the difficulty of solving complex mathematical problems, and mainly uses algebraic tools such as bilinear mapping. Symmetric encryption uses tools such as pseudo-random functions, hash algorithms and other encryption algorithms, which are faster than public-key cryptography. They are suitable for different application scenarios, which we will further explore in the next section.
3.1 Single-User Model
To save on local storage space, a user may store some files on a remote server, though he or she may not completely trust the server. The user may then choose to use searchable encryption. Symmetric encryption is suitable for this scenario. The method is to encrypt the file with the private key and upload it to the server. During retrieval, the private key is used to generate a digital signature. The server retrieves the digital signature and then releases the data.
3.2 Many-to-One Model
That is, there are multiple data uploaders and only one data receiver (retriever), for example, a mail server entrusts a gateway to filter messages. Public-key cryptography is suitable for such a scenario. The receiver releases the public key, and the sender encrypts the files using the receiver’s public key. During retrieval, the receiver generates a digital signature with the private key, and the server retrieves and returns the data according to the digital signature.
3.3 One-to-Many or Many-to-Many Model
That is, one or more senders and multiple data receivers, in which case both symmetric encryption or asymmetric encryption can be used. Asymmetric encryption keys can be shared, which would allow multiple receivers. Symmetric encryption can also achieve the same results through hybrid encryption, or in combination with other encryption methods.
Common Encryption Scenarios
Searchable encryption is generally divided into the following four stages:
(1) Data encryption: The data owner encrypts the plaintext data with the cryptography key, and then uploads the encrypted data to the data storage hosting unit;
(2) Generation of digital signature: the user generates the corresponding digital signature using the key, and sends it to the data storage hosting unit;
(3) Data retrieval: the data storage hosting unit retrieves the digital signature and sends the data that meets the retrieval conditions to the user. During the execution, the data storage hosting server cannot obtain any additional information about the data;
(4) Data decryption: after the user obtains the data returned from the data storage hosting unit, he or she can decrypt the relevant data with the cryptography key.
Genaro’s searchable encryption is an important part of its protocol, which further protects the privacy and security of all users. In 2022, the development of the data storage sector looks set to accelerate and Genaro Network will create a new standard for distributed storage.
