FIGURE 31 presents extensions 0170 to
the system and method to privatize computer data.
Extension 3110 consolidates all files
within a privacy protected archive 0261 within a single file. This serves a
need for simplicity on behalf of persons who wish to retain output from the
system and method on hard disk or on a backup medium, without concern for
proliferation of files. This objective may be achieved with a simple
wrapper for the consolidated output file... a listing at the beginning of
the names, sizes, and offsets of each embedded file, followed by the named
files appended one after another. For security reasons, the user should be
given the option whether the reconstitution file or files 0270 is/are to be
included within the consolidated file. Security is greater if they are
separate; convenience is greater if they are placed together.
Extension 3120 focuses on privatizing a
single original data file 0220. There may be circumstances in which it is
convenient for the user to have one privacy protected archive for one
original data file 0220.
The method in extension 3120 is to
mathematically break apart the single original data file 0220 into between
three and 16 files, each roughly (but not precisely) the same size. A small
"script" file should be created giving the original file name with its size
and time-date stamp, plus a breakdown of the temporary names, the size of
each temporary file, and from where it was extracted in the original data
file 0220. This script file should be added to the other temporary files as
yet another input, with a name that flags it as an
"implement-this-when-reconstituted" signal. From this point forward,
fragmentation 1740 is carried out in the normal way, using the temporary
files as the input. Reconstitution 0160 is also normal. The only additional
requirement is for the program to recognize at the end of the process that
steps are to be carried out under the direction of one of the output files.
Technically, all that is required is copying bytes under the guidance of a
script, assigning the consolidated result the original name and time-date
stamp, and deleting the temporary files and script.
