Threshold-based override of data privacy using distributed ledgers and key shares

Abstract

Techniques are provided for threshold-based override of data privacy. One method comprises creating, by a service provider, an agreement with a user employing a user device, wherein the agreement is maintained on a distributed ledger, wherein user data sent to the distributed ledger is encrypted using an inner key and an outer key (split into multiple outer key shares and distributed to the user, the service provider and/or voters), wherein a predefined number of multiple outer key shares is required to reconstruct the outer key. To access the encrypted data of the user in some embodiments, the service provider: obtains a reconstructed outer key if the number of outer key shares provided by the user, the service provider and/or the voters satisfies the predefined number of outer key shares key; and decrypts the encrypted user data using the reconstructed outer key and the inner key.