Microsoft patents secure data deletion method for privacy compliance
This patent describes a method for handling personal data that must be kept for a specific time and then deleted. It uses a secure hardware area to create a summarized version of the data with added noise, allowing the original details to be permanently erased while still meeting privacy standards.
In the filing’s own words
Data may contain personal information and be subject to privacy requirements. The data may be encrypted and only a secure enclave may be able to decrypt the encrypted data. The secure enclave may be used to generate a report based on the encrypted data and a first set of added noise. The report may be subject to audit requirements and satisfy a differential privacy guarantee. The encrypted data may be stored for a first period. After the first period, the secure enclave may be used to generate a private synopsis based on the encrypted data and a second set of added noise. The private synopsis may satisfy the differential privacy guarantee. The private synopsis may be encrypted and only the secure enclave may be able to decrypt the encrypted private synopsis. The encrypted data may be expunged, and the encrypted private synopsis may be retained for a second period.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method comprising: storing data, wherein the data contains personal information of one or more individuals and is subject to privacy requirements; encrypting the data such that the data becomes encrypted data, wherein only a secure enclave can decrypt the encrypted data using a first decryption key; generating, by the secure enclave, a report based on the encrypted data and a first set of added noise, wherein the report is subject to audit requirements and satisfies a differential privacy guarantee; storing the encrypted data for a first period of time; aggregating, after the first period of time and by the secure enclave, the encrypted data and a second set of added noise to generate a private synopsis that satisfies the differential privacy guarantee; encrypting the private synopsis to generate an encrypted private synopsis, wherein only the secure enclave can decrypt the encrypted private synopsis using a second decryption key; expunging the encrypted data; and retaining the encrypted private synopsis for a second period of time.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Using a secure enclave to satisfy retention and expungement requirements with respect to private data
- Patent number
- US12730930B2
- Application number
- 18901614
- Filed
- Sep 30, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 21/6245 Physics & computingG06F 21/602 Physics & computingG06F 21/78 Physics & computingG06F 21/86 Physics & computingH04L 9/0894 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/3247 Electricity & electronicsMore from Microsoft in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.