Access Control Apparatus for Fine-Grained User Permission Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing access control systems do not effectively manage and reduce the risk of inappropriate resource usage by unauthorized users, as they often provide full authorization, leading to potential misuse.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus that allows a first authorized user to set access control settings for a second user, which includes specifying allowed operations, resources, and time periods, and uses these settings to determine if an access permission request from the second user is valid, thereby controlling access to resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If full authorization is given to unauthorized users to use a resource, then ease of operation is improved, but security and risk of inappropriate use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments access rights into fine-grained permission levels (read, write, execute, delete) that can be individually assigned to users. This allows the system to provide ease of operation by allowing unauthorized users access while maintaining security through segmented, controlled permissions rather than full authorization.
2Reliability
If access control settings are implemented to restrict unauthorized user access, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining access control settings and permission templates before users attempt to access resources. Authorized users can configure access policies in advance, and the system automatically applies these settings when unauthorized users request access, reducing the operational burden while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary access control management system that mediates between unauthorized users and protected resources. This intermediary layer handles permission verification and enforcement automatically, improving security without requiring direct user intervention in the access control mechanism itself.
3Reliability
If fine-grained access control is implemented, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system is designed as a universal, multi-functional platform that can be applied across different resources and user types. By creating a standardized access control framework that handles multiple scenarios (user authentication, permission management, policy enforcement) through a single system, the patent reduces overall complexity compared to implementing separate access control mechanisms for each resource.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus comprises a controller configured to: (1) receive, from a first user authorized to access a resource, an access control setting applicable to a second user, the access control setting set within an authority of the first user; (2) receive, in response to a successful authentication of the second user, an access permission request for the resource from the second user; and (3) request, if what is requested in the access permission request is allowed by the access control setting, the resource to execute a process according to the access permission request.