Conceptual Framework of A New Secure Storage System for Medical Data Archiving

Abstract

The storage, retrieval, and manipulation of digital data, such as digital medical images, signals, and even documents (medical reports), and the analysis of the information held in these data are important requirements for the current and the next-generation medical archiving systems. The medical information is the most sensitive data, which requires strong security measures. In the medical archiving systems, the most of the security depends on the mandatory access controls, and the encryption of the vital data. The problems with these techniques arise when an unauthorized client has the knowledge regarding the existence of the secured data in the system; this can make the system vulnerable to alterations, extraction or destroying of the secured data.This paper presents a new conceptual framework of secure storage system for medical data (digital medical images, documents, and signals, etc.) archiving through the use of steganographic and cryptographic techniques. The main objectives are: 1) To present a new conceptual framework of a multilayer database system for medical data archiving, 2) To provide highest level of security and privacy of the vital information in the database against unauthorized alteration or destruction by any personnel; and 3) To combine steganography and cryptography in the infrastructure of the database system to further increase the security of the crucial data.