Secure Exchange of Structured Data with immudb Vault

Almost every aspect of the business world requires that two or more companies exchange data. Usually this data is structured, i.e. it has an agreed format. Examples of structured interchange data is the well-known FIX protocol between Wall Street Banks. See more here.

Structured data exchange promotes efficient communication, streamlines business processes, and enables seamless integration among different parties by establishing a common foundation for data representation and exchange. 

Businesses exchange structured data because it provides the following advantages: standardization, agreed upon data schemas, data validation and standard protocols. However, without security and privacy, the exchange of structured data makes no sense in today’s world. The man in the middle attack, once a remote possibility, or the real of spy agencies, is now everywhere and we have to assume that all our communication is being read/collected and/or tampered with.

Secure data interchange is incredibly important to the modern economy. Whether it's for collaborative projects, supply chain management, or financial transactions, securely storing and retrieving structured data is vital for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality. This blog post explores how immudb Vault can serve as an effective solution for exchanging structured data securely among two or more parties. 

What is immudb Vault?

immudb Vault is an immutable and tamper-proof key-value storage solution built on the foundation of immudb, a powerful, blockchain-based database. It is specifically designed to provide a secure and efficient way of exchanging structured data while ensuring data integrity through cryptographic verification.

Secure Data Transfer

immudb Vault utilizes cryptographic principles to guarantee secure data transfer between parties. By implementing end-to-end encryption and strong authentication mechanisms, immudb Vault ensures that data cannot be intercepted, altered, or accessed by unauthorized parties during transmission. 

Roles and Access Control

To facilitate data exchange, immudb Vault provides a built-in access control system that enforces granular role-based permissions. This feature enables you to define specific roles for each party involved in the data exchange process. You can assign different levels of access rights, such as read, write, or admin privileges, based on the specific requirements of each party, thereby enhancing data confidentiality and reducing the risk of unauthorized data access.

Data Immutability and Versioning

One of the key strengths of immudb Vault is its immutability and versioning capabilities. immudb Vault ensures that once data is stored, it cannot be modified. However, it allows for appending new data or creating new versions, ensuring an auditable trail of changes. This feature is crucial when multiple parties need to collaborate on a dataset, as it provides transparency and allows for consistent tracking and validation of the data's evolution over time.

Data Integrity and Verification

To maintain data integrity, immudb Vault uses cryptographic hashes to verify the content of the stored data. This process ensures that any modifications or tampering attempts on the data will be immediately detected. Consequently, parties can have confidence in the authenticity and integrity of the exchanged data, minimizing the risks associated with data manipulation or fraud.

Scalability and Performance

immudb Vault is optimized for efficiency, providing fast and scalable storage for structured data. It can handle millions of transactions per second, making it suitable for demanding applications that require real-time data exchange and retrieval. Its efficient indexing and querying capabilities allow for quick and easy access to the stored data based on metadata or specific search criteria.

Example of Secure Data Exchange with immudb Vault 

1. Create an account on immudb Vault 
2. Copy your API key.
3. Store the first document with the following curl command (make sure to add the API key you copied on the previous step).
   
4. Share the read-only API key with whoever will need to get that data.
5. Anyone with the API key can then get that data with the following curl command:

The command line example for Step 3 looks liks

curl -X 'PUT' \
'https://vault.immudb.io/ics/api/v1/ledger/default/collection/default/document' \
-H 'accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-API-Key: <API key>' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{
"name": "John Doe",
"id": 1,
"timestamp": "2023-05-10T12:00:00Z",
"email": "johndoe@example.com",
"age": 30,
"address": "123 Main Street",
"city": "New York",
"country": "USA",
"phone": "+1-123-456-7890",
"is_active": true
}'

Step 5 looks like:

curl -X 'POST' 'https://vault.immudb.io/ics/api/v1/ledger/default/collection/default/documents/search' \
-H 'accept: application/json' \
-H 'X-API-Key: <read-only API key>' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{"query":{"expressions":[{"fieldComparisons": [{"field":"id","operator":"EQ","value":1}]}]},"page":1,"perPage":10}' | jq '.'

Conclusion

In an era where data exchange between multiple parties is prevalent, immudb Vault offers a robust and secure solution for storing and exchanging structured data. With its focus on data integrity, immutability, access control, and scalability, immudb Vault ensures the confidentiality, authenticity, and efficiency of data transactions, fostering trust and collaboration between the involved parties. By leveraging immudb Vault, organizations can exchange data securely, reducing risks and facilitating seamless collaboration in today's fast-paced digital world.