TECHNICAL FIELD

This application generally relates to a database storage system, and more particularly, to multi-subject device access authorization.

BACKGROUND

A centralized database stores and maintains data in one single database (e.g., database server) at one location. This location is often a central computer, for example, a desktop central processing unit (CPU), a server CPU, or a mainframe computer. Information stored on a centralized database is typically accessible from multiple different points. Multiple users or client workstations can work simultaneously on the centralized database, for example, based on a client/server configuration. A centralized database is easy to manage, maintain, and control, especially for purposes of security because of its single location. Within a centralized database, data redundancy is minimized as a single storing place of all data also implies that a given set of data only has one primary record.

However, a centralized database suffers from significant drawbacks. For example, a centralized database has a single point of failure. In particular, if there are no fault-tolerance considerations and a failure occurs (for example a hardware, firmware, and/or a software failure), all data within the database is lost and work of all users is interrupted. In addition, centralized databases are highly dependent on network connectivity. As a result, the slower the connection, the amount of time needed for each database access is increased. Another drawback is the occurrence of bottlenecks when a centralized database experiences high traffic due to a single location. Furthermore, a centralized database provides limited access to data because only one copy of the data is maintained by the database. As a result, multiple devices cannot access the same piece of data at the same time without creating significant problems or risk overwriting stored data. Furthermore, because a database storage system has minimal to no data redundancy, data that is unexpectedly lost is very difficult to retrieve other than through manual operation from back-up storage.

Recently, the issue of unlocking a secure mobile device, for criminal investigation, was the subject of public debate. Device manufacturers have argued that giving law enforcement agencies the power to unlock any device, for criminal investigation, implies weakening the security level of their product hence making all devices more vulnerable to attacks by hackers. Manufacturers argued that weakening the security of all devices is not desired as it would also give more power to attackers. Furthermore, giving the authority to unlock all devices to a single entity is not acceptable from a privacy perspective.

As such, what is needed is a solution to overcome these significant drawbacks.

SUMMARY

One example embodiment provides a system that includes two or more authorization entities and a blockchain system configured to perform one or more of receive two or more authorization decisions from the two or more authorization entities, record the two or more authorization decisions into one or more blocks of a blockchain of the blockchain system, determine, by the blockchain system, whether the two or more authorization decisions satisfy a policy to authorize access to at least one of a device or identifiable content on the device, and authorize access to a public key that can be used to gain access to the device when the two or more authorization decisions satisfy the policy.

Another example embodiment provides a method that includes one or more of receiving two or more authorization decisions from two or more authorization entities into a blockchain system, recording the two or more authorization decisions into one or more blocks of a blockchain of the blockchain system, determining, by the blockchain system, whether the two or more authorization decisions satisfy a policy to authorize access to at least one of a device or identifiable content on the device, and when the two or more authorization decisions satisfy the policy, authorizing access to a public key that can be used to gain access to the device.

A further example embodiment provides a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, that when read by a processor, cause the processor to perform one or more of receiving two or more authorization decisions from two or more authorization entities into a blockchain system, recording the two or more authorization decisions into one or more blocks of a blockchain of the blockchain system, determining, by the blockchain system, whether the two or more authorization decisions satisfy a policy to authorize access to at least one of a device or identifiable content on the device, and when the two or more authorization decisions satisfy the policy, authorizing access to a public key that can be used to gain access to the device.

