API Response Proxy Filtering to Minimize Sensitive Data Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing APIs expose sensitive data indiscriminately, posing security risks due to developers' reliance on clients for data filtering, which is inefficient and insecure.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a proxy system that identifies client types based on authentication and data elements to modify API responses, removing or replacing unnecessary data elements transparently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If developers expose all object properties in API responses, then clients can access complete data, but security risks increase due to excessive data exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary between the API and clients. The proxy intercepts API responses, identifies the client type, and selectively filters data elements before forwarding to the client. This mediator approach allows complete data to be available from the API while preventing excessive exposure to clients, resolving the security risk without compromising data accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different data filtering strategies based on client type identification. Different client categories (e.g., internal vs. external, authenticated vs. unauthenticated) receive differently filtered responses. This local quality approach ensures each client receives appropriate data exposure levels tailored to their security clearance and needs, balancing accessibility with security.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If clients perform data filtering before displaying objects, then data exposure can be controlled, but the system becomes inefficient and insecure due to reliance on client-side filtering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs data filtering in advance on the server side through the proxy, before data reaches the client. The proxy pre-processes API responses by removing or masking sensitive data elements based on client type, so clients receive already-filtered data. This preliminary action eliminates the need for client-side filtering, improving system efficiency while maintaining secure data exposure control.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a proxy system modifies API responses to minimize data exposure, then security is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the proxy server to handle multiple functions: authentication verification, client type identification, response interception, data element filtering, and modified response forwarding. By consolidating these security and filtering functions into a single multi-functional proxy component, the system enhances security capabilities without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for minimizing data exposure in API responses and includes the performance of operations and/or the steps of receiving, from a client, a request for a data object from an API, wherein the data object comprises one or more data elements; identifying a client type associated with the client; receiving, from the API, a response to the request from the client; and modifying the response based on the identified client type.