Secure Untrusted Data Repository (SUNDR)

Abstract

We have implemented a secure network file system called SUNDR that guarantees the integrity of data even when malicious parties control the server. SUNDR splits storage functionality between two untrusted components, a block store and a consistency server. The block store holds all file data and most metadata. Without interpreting metadata, it presents a simple interface for clients to store variable-sized data blocks and later retrieve them by cryptographic hash. The consistency server implements a novel protocol that guarantees close-to-open consistency whenever users see each other s updates. The protocol roughly consists of users exchanging version-stamped digital signatures of block server metadata, though a number of subtleties arise in efficiently supporting concurrent clients and groupwritable files. We have proven the protocol s security under basic cryptographic assumptions. Without somehow producing signed messages valid under a user s (or the superuser s) public key, an attacker cannot tamper with a user s files even given control of the servers and network. Despite this guarantee, SUNDR performs within a reasonable factor of existing insecure network file systems.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA445862

Entities

People

  • David Mazières
  • Dennis Shasha
  • Jinyuan Li
  • Maxwell Krohn

Organizations

  • New York University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Bandwidth
  • Collisions
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • Consistency
  • Data Storage Systems
  • Determinants (Mathematics)
  • Device Drivers
  • Hash Tables
  • Operating Systems
  • Prototypes
  • Reliability
  • Security
  • Servers (Computer Hardware)
  • Shell Scripts
  • Storage

Fields of Study

  • Computer science
  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Applied Combinatorial Optimization and Logic Circuit Design.
  • Cybersecurity.
  • Database Systems and Applications

Technology Areas

  • Cyber