US 2017/0230375 A1 - System For Centralized Control Of Secure Access To Process Data Network - The Lens

System For Centralized Control Of Secure Access To Process Data Network

Published: Aug 10, 2017
Earliest Priority: Feb 10 2016
Family: 2
Cited Works: 6
Cited by: 18
Cites: 2
Additional Info: Full text

Abstract

A distributed block chain network having at least a private block chain portion, and in some cases a public block chain portion, allows users to take actions (e.g., accessing, viewing, storing, disseminating, validating, or the like) with respect to event information associated with events. In some aspects of the invention the distributed block chain network with the private block chain portion may be utilized to verify events and separate the private information associated with the events from the public information associated with the events. As such, the present invention provides systems for centralized control of secure access to process data networks by utilizing a private block chain; and moreover, provide systems for control of secure access and communication with different process data networks with different security requirements by utilizing one or more block chains with private block chain portions and/or public block chain portions.

Claims

A system for supporting and controlling access to a private block chain within a private block chain distributed network, the system comprising:
one or more memory devices storing computer-readable code; and

one or more processing devices operatively coupled to the one or more memory devices, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable code to:
receive a request from a user utilizing a node to access the private block chain, wherein the request includes authentication credentials, wherein the private block chain network comprises a distributed network of nodes managed by one or more entities, wherein the nodes are operatively coupled to each other, have at least a portion of a private block chain ledger, and share information on the ledger through electronic communication;

compare the authentication credentials with stored authentication credentials for the user or the node;

allow the user to access the private block chain distributed network when the authentication credentials meet stored authentication credentials for the user or the node; and

receive an indication that the user took an action for an event within the private block chain, wherein the action occurred on the node from the distributed network of nodes, and wherein the action is validating the event using event information on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, storing event information for the event on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, or disseminating the event information for the event on the private ledger of the node to one or more other nodes of the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain.
The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
assign authentication credentials to a plurality of users for access to the private block chain distributed network, wherein the user provides user authentication credentials to access the distributed network of nodes for the private block chain distributed network.
The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
assign authentication credentials to a plurality of nodes for access to the private block chain distributed network, wherein the node provides node authentication credentials to access the distributed network of nodes for the private block chain distributed network.
The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
assign authentication credentials for a plurality of nodes and a plurality of users, wherein the authentication credentials include authentication of the node and authentication of the user associated with the node.
The system of claim 1, wherein the event within the private block chain distributed network is a transaction of a customer using a financial account of a financial institution, and wherein the information is used to verify the transaction is legitimate.
The system of claim 1, wherein the event is a contract between entities, an analyst report, or earnings statements.
The system of claim 1, wherein the action is validating, storing, and disseminating the event and event information to prove the event is legitimate.
The system of claim 1, wherein the private block chain is linked with a public block chain, or the private block chain is a portion of a hybrid block chain with a private block chain portion and a public block chain portion, and wherein a first portion of the event information remains private, while a second portion of the event information is published publically on the public block chain or the public block chain portion.
The system of claim 1, wherein a single entity controls access to the private block chain network with the private nodes.
The system of claim 1, wherein two or more entities control access to the private block chain network.
The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more processing devices are configured to execute the computer-readable program code to:
receive limits for one or more users, one or more nodes, one or more entities, and one or more events or one or more actions associated with the events;

compare the action taken by the user to the limits; and

allow the action to proceed when the limits are met.
A method for supporting and controlling access to a private block chain within a private block chain distributed network, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processing devices, a request from a user utilizing a node to access the private block chain, wherein the request includes authentication credentials, wherein the private block chain network comprises a distributed network of nodes managed by one or more entities, wherein the nodes are operatively coupled to each other, have at least a portion of a private block chain ledger, and share information on the ledger through electronic communication;

comparing, by the one or more processing devices, the authentication credentials with stored authentication credentials for the user or the node;

allowing, by the one or more processing devices, the user to access the private block chain distributed network when the authentication credentials meet stored authentication credentials for the user or the node; and

receiving, by the one or more processing devices, an indication that the user took an action for an event within the private block chain, wherein the action occurred on the node from the distributed network of nodes, and wherein the action is validating the event using event information on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, storing event information for the event on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, or disseminating the event information for the event on the private ledger of the node to one or more other nodes of the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain.
The method of claim 12, further comprising:
assigning, by the one or more processing devices, authentication credentials to a plurality of users for access to the private block chain distributed network, wherein the user provides user authentication credentials to access the distributed network of nodes for the private block chain distributed network.
The method of claim 12, further comprising:
assigning, by the one or more processing devices, authentication credentials to a plurality of nodes for access to the private block chain distributed network, wherein the node provides node authentication credentials to access the distributed network of nodes for the private block chain distributed network.
The method of claim 12, further comprising
assigning, by the one or more processing devices, authentication credentials for a plurality of nodes and a plurality of users, wherein the authentication credentials include authentication of the node and authentication of the user associated with the node.
The method of claim 12, wherein the event within the private block chain distributed network is a transaction of a customer using a financial account of a financial institution, and wherein the information is used to verify the transaction is legitimate.
The method of claim 12, wherein the action is validating, storing, and disseminating the event and event information to prove the event is legitimate.
The method of claim 12, wherein the private block chain is linked with a public block chain, or the private block chain is a portion of a hybrid block chain with a private block chain portion and a public block chain portion, and wherein a first portion of the event information remains private, while a second portion of the event information is published publically on the public block chain or the public block chain portion.
The method of claim 12, further comprising:
receiving, by the one or more processing devices, limits for one or more users, one or more nodes, one or more entities, and one or more events or one or more actions associated with the events;

comparing, by the one or more processing devices, the action taken by the user to the limits; and

allowing, by the one or more processing devices, the action to proceed when the limits are met.
A computer program product for supporting and controlling access to a private block chain within a private block chain distributed network, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:
an executable portion configured to receive a request from a user utilizing a node to access the private block chain, wherein the request includes authentication credentials, wherein the private block chain network comprises a distributed network of nodes managed by one or more entities, wherein the nodes are operatively coupled to each other, have at least a portion of a private block chain ledger, and share information on the ledger through electronic communication;

an executable portion configured to compare the authentication credentials with stored authentication credentials for the user or the node;

an executable portion configured to allow the user to access the private block chain distributed network when the authentication credentials meet stored authentication credentials for the user or the node; and

an executable portion configured to receive an indication that the user took an action for an event within the private block chain, wherein the action occurred on the node from the distributed network of nodes, and wherein the action is validating the event using event information on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, storing event information for the event on the private ledger of the node from the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain, or disseminating the event information for the event on the private ledger of the node to one or more other nodes of the distributed network of nodes of the private block chain.