Unified Access Gateways for Cross-Cloud Enterprise Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IT administration expenses and management complexity arise from disparate hosting of applications in SAAS cloud and private networks, which lack shared passwords and authentication systems, necessitating separate access control configurations and policies, and SSO solutions are not universally applicable, increasing security management burdens.
Innovation Solution
A unified secure access management system with Intelligence Edge Gateways and Unified Access Cloud, enabling centralized configuration of employee enablement configurations, network and security policies, and data plane level enforcement, allowing users to access both SAAS cloud and private networks with a single set of credentials through Intelligence Edge Servers and Security Gateways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate access control configurations are implemented for SAAS cloud and private network applications, then each system can be securely managed independently, but IT administration expense and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges SAAS cloud application access and private network application access into a single unified access control system. The gateway device consolidates multiple authentication mechanisms (SSO, MFA, certificate-based authentication) and policy enforcement capabilities into one platform, allowing administrators to manage both types of applications through a single interface rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device is designed with universal functionality to handle diverse authentication and authorization requirements. It supports multiple authentication methods (password, MFA, certificates), works with different application types (SAAS and private network), and enforces various policy types (time-based, location-based, device-based) through a single multi-functional platform.
2Ease of operation
If SSO solutions are implemented to enable single credential authentication, then user convenience is improved, but compatibility issues arise with applications that do not support SSO integration
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device acts as an intermediary between users and applications. It intercepts authentication requests from applications (whether SSO-enabled or not), performs the appropriate authentication method in the background, and presents a unified authentication experience to users. This mediator approach allows legacy applications without SSO support to benefit from centralized authentication.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system is designed to be universally compatible with both SSO-enabled and non-SSO applications. The gateway can dynamically select the appropriate authentication method based on the application type, providing a single credential experience for SSO applications while handling traditional authentication for legacy applications through the same unified interface.
3Reliability
If additional security configurations such as firewall/VPN policies and CASB policies are implemented, then data plane level security is improved, but IT administration expense and management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines identity plane security (authentication and authorization) with data plane security (firewall, VPN, CASB policies) into a single unified gateway device. This consolidation allows administrators to manage both types of security through one interface rather than separate systems, reducing overall complexity while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems of access control to enterprise applications. Embodiments of the invention implement a unified secure access control solution to enable users to securely authenticate with applications no matter whether they are hosted in SAAS cloud or private networks. Intelligence Edge Gateways deployed at a network edge close to users' geographical locations ensure the control of users' secure access to software services and applications with minimized latency. A user only needs one set of credentials to gain access to various applications hosted in SAAS cloud or private networks. In an embodiment, Intelligence Edge Gateways enables IT administrators to set data plane level security policies in addition to the identity and access management policies. IT administrators are able to configure and manage all the security policies at Unified Access Cloud in a centralized manner.