API-Gated TCP/IP Port Access for Listening Daemon Security

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The Open Systems Interconnection model's transport layer daemons, which constantly listen for requests, create network vulnerabilities by allowing any device on the internet to connect without authorization, making the system inherently insecure.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an application programming interface (API) that authenticates user devices before allowing access to TCP ports, attaching daemons to random ports, and managing access through a firewall to ensure only authorized devices can connect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If transport layer daemons constantly listen for requests, then network service availability is improved, but network security deteriorates due to unauthorized access vulnerabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork service availabilityVSAvoidunauthorized access vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an API portal as an intermediary component between external networks and transport layer daemons. This portal authenticates connection requests and manages access to TCP ports, preventing unauthorized devices from directly connecting to listening daemons while maintaining service availability for authenticated users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary authentication through the API portal before allowing connections to transport layer services. By authenticating devices in advance and managing TCP port access beforehand, the system ensures that only authorized devices can connect to daemons, eliminating the security vulnerability of constant listening without sacrificing service availability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If an API authentication system is implemented, then network security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunauthorized accessVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The API portal is designed as a universal authentication system that handles multiple functions: device authentication, TCP port access management, and connection request routing. By consolidating these security functions into a single multi-functional component, the system achieves strong security without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250317427A1Enhanced indicating and enabling transmission control protocol/internet protocol-based network transport layer numbers using an application programming interface

Publication Date: 2025.10.09 CENTURYLINK INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LLC

AI summary

This disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for connecting a device to a transmission control protocol (TCP) port of a server. A method may include receiving, by an application programming interface (API) portal, a first request from a user device to connect to a TCP transport layer of a server; authenticating, by the API portal, the user device based on the first request; providing, by the API portal, to the server, based on the authenticating, a second request to access to a TCP port of the server; receiving, by the API portal, from the server, a response to the second request, indicating that the user device is permitted to access the TCP port; and sending, by the API portal, to the user device, a response to the first request, the response to the first request indicating that the user device is permitted to access the TCP port.