Re: PostgreSQL and Homomorphic Encryption - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

From Bruce Momjian
Subject Re: PostgreSQL and Homomorphic Encryption
Date
Msg-id 20180619213452.GA30125@momjian.us
Whole thread Raw
In response to Re: PostgreSQL and Homomorphic Encryption  (Craig Ringer <craig@2ndquadrant.com>)
List pgsql-hackers
On Wed, May 23, 2018 at 09:05:15AM +0800, Craig Ringer wrote:
> Presumably it'd have to support some non-equality ops like < and > for b-tree
> indexing, so you can compare two encrypted texts without decryption.
> 
> If the user can supply cleartext to be compared against, this exposes
> search-based plaintext attacks where you can discover the plaintext over time
> with iterative searches over modified plaintext.
> 
> My understanding of homomorphic encryption is that it's generally more useful
> for data-modifying operations. For example, you might want to add a value to a
> balance without being able to read the balance and learn the current value. I
> haven't heard of it being used for searches before.

I have a slide about indexing encrypted data;  not sure if it is
relevant:

    https://momjian.us/main/writings/crypto_hw_use.pdf#page=86

-- 
  Bruce Momjian  <bruce@momjian.us>        http://momjian.us
  EnterpriseDB                             http://enterprisedb.com

+ As you are, so once was I.  As I am, so you will be. +
+                      Ancient Roman grave inscription +


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