Decentralized Admin Access Recovery via Secret Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing identity and access management systems face challenges in restoring administrator access when their certificates expire or become invalid, leading to denied access and operational disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for reinstating an administrator's access by using a voting engine that distributes shares of a secret among validators, allowing them to verify the identity of the administrator and reconstruct the secret if a quorum of affirmative votes is reached, thereby installing a new certificate and restoring access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If certificate-based authentication is used to protect data and control access, then security is improved, but access restoration becomes difficult when certificates expire or become invalid
Solution Approach 1:
The secret is divided into multiple shares using secret sharing schemes, distributing authentication credentials across multiple validators rather than relying on a single certificate. This allows access restoration through consensus among validators even when individual certificates expire or become invalid.
Solution Approach 2:
A voting engine is introduced as an intermediary component that coordinates the restoration process. The voting engine collects votes from validators, reconstructs the secret through cryptographic operations, and facilitates certificate renewal without requiring manual intervention or system downtime.
2Reliability
If a voting engine with multiple validators is implemented for secure access restoration, then security is enhanced through distributed validation, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The voting engine serves multiple functions: it acts as a coordinator for restoration requests, a cryptographic processor for secret reconstruction, and a communication hub between validators and the identity management system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables automated restoration through the voting engine that can independently coordinate with validators, perform cryptographic operations, and update certificates without requiring manual administrative intervention. The process is self-service in that the system restores its own access capabilities.
3Reliability
If secret sharing schemes are used to distribute authentication credentials, then access security is improved, but the restoration process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Manual certificate management and restoration processes are replaced with automated cryptographic operations. The voting engine uses mathematical algorithms for secret reconstruction and coordinate generation, substituting manual administrative tasks with automated computational processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Secret shares are pre-distributed to validators before any access restoration is needed. The cryptographic material is prepared in advance and stored securely with validators, so when restoration is required, the voting engine can immediately coordinate reconstruction without delays for setup or configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Reinstating access to a system of an admin whose certificate is invalid or expired is disclosed. When the admin's certificate is expired, the admin may send a request for reinstatement to tenant admins. The voting operation is based on shares of a secret that have been distributed to validators. When the shares are successfully reconstructed to obtain the secret, the voting operation is affirmed or allowed to proceed. If the vote is successful, access for the admin is restored or reinstated.