Access Evaluator for IoT Subject Matching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT communication frameworks face challenges in access control due to gaps in access models, leading to imperfect mapping logic that can result in privilege escalations or loss of function, particularly when bridging access policies expressed as ACLs and capability lists, and handling implicit objects and subjects not defined by the object model.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a rich object and subject context using a bridging technique that applies principles of 'least-privilege' and 'least-data' through a decentralized access control system, allowing for symmetric scoping in machine-to-machine interactions, and using an access evaluator to dynamically match and align access policies across semantically disjoint models.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a bridging technique with rich object and subject context is implemented, then security against privilege escalations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an access evaluator as an intermediary component that mediates between subjects and objects in IoT device-to-device communications. The access evaluator receives access requests, evaluates them against access policies, and determines whether to grant access. This intermediary structure enhances security by centralizing access control logic while maintaining the complexity of individual IoT devices manageable, as the access evaluator can be implemented as a separate module or service rather than embedding complex security logic in every device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If decentralized access control is implemented, then adaptability across heterogeneous IoT networks is improved, but difficulty of detecting and measuring access policies worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing each IoT device to have its own access control policies and context information tailored to its specific requirements and capabilities. Each device can define its own subjects, objects, and access policies locally, enabling heterogeneous IoT networks to interoperate while maintaining their individual characteristics. The access evaluator uses this local context information to make decentralized access control decisions, balancing adaptability with measurability through standardized evaluation interfaces.
3Reliability
If symmetric scoping is applied in machine-to-machine interactions, then loss of function is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by implementing symmetric scoping that dynamically adjusts access permissions based on the specific interaction context between machines. Rather than using static, asymmetric access control models, the system dynamically determines the appropriate scope of access for each subject-object pair, allowing machines to access resources symmetrically when needed while maintaining security. This dynamic approach preserves functionality across diverse IoT devices without requiring complex custom configurations for each device type.
Data Source
AI summary
Various systems and methods for implementing an access control policy that provides subject matching in distributed access control scenarios, such as Internet of Things (IoT) device interconnection settings, are described. In an example, a determining an access control policy with an access evaluator includes: receiving a request from a subject to perform an operation with an object; evaluating the first type of access policy of the subject, and a second type of access policy of the object, to determine a first and second access scope for performing the requested operation; identifying an access control object that provides a mapping between the first access scope and the second access scope for performing the requested operation; and providing access from the subject to the object based on a security level determined from the mapping between the first access scope and the second access scope provided with the access control object.