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Section: Software
PlugDB engine
Participant : Nicolas Anciaux.
More than a stand-alone prototype, PlugDB is part of a complete architecture dedicated to a secure and ubiquitous management of personal data. PlugDB aims at providing an alternative to a systematic centralization of personal data. To meet this objective, the PlugDB architecture lies on a new kind of hardware device called Secure Portable Token (SPT). Roughly speaking, a SPT combines a secure microcontroller (similar to a smart card chip) with a large external Flash memory (Gigabyte sized). The SPT can host data on Flash (e.g., a personal folder) and safely run code embedded in the secure microcontroller. PlugDB engine is the cornerstone of this embedded code. PlugDB engine manages the database on Flash (tackling the peculiarities of NAND Flash storage), enforces the access control policy defined on this database, protects the data at rest against piracy and tampering, executes queries (tackling low RAM constraint) and ensures transaction atomicity. Part of the on-board data can be replicated on a server (then synchronized) and shared among a restricted circle of trusted parties through crypto-protected interactions. PlugDB engine has been registered at APP (Agence de Protection des Programmes) in 2009 [29] and its Flash-based indexing system has been patented by INRIA and Gemalto [37] . It has been demonstrated in a dozen of national and international events including JavaOne and SIGMOD. It is being experimented in the field to implement a secure and portable medical-social folder helping the coordination of medical care and social services provided at home to dependent people.