API Gateway Stability-Based Rate Limiting for Malicious Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing API gateway systems struggle to detect and protect against applications that have been updated or used with malicious intent, leading to potential system failures and data security risks, as they lack effective methods to differentiate between legitimate and malicious API access behaviors.
Innovation Solution
A management device that calculates stability based on API request history and state transitions, adjusting API access limits dynamically to prevent malicious access by creating a state transition instance and comparing it with a stored state transition table to determine the legitimacy of API requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If API access is allowed without strict rate limiting, then application convenience and productivity are improved, but system security and reliability deteriorate due to malicious operations and updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic rate limiting by continuously monitoring API request patterns and adjusting access limits in real-time. The system transitions from static rate limiting to dynamic control where access thresholds are automatically modified based on detected behavioral changes, allowing the system to adapt between high productivity modes for legitimate applications and protective modes for suspicious activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where API access patterns are continuously monitored and analyzed. The management device receives feedback about request behaviors, compares them against established patterns, and adjusts rate limits accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system enables the system to maintain security while preserving productivity for legitimate users.
2Reliability
If rate limiting is implemented to prevent malicious operations, then system security is improved, but application convenience and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating rate limiting strategies based on individual application characteristics and behavior patterns. Instead of applying uniform restrictions, the system tailors access controls to each application's specific usage patterns, allowing legitimate applications to maintain full functionality while restricting only those exhibiting malicious behavior.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts rate limits based on real-time behavior analysis, transitioning from restrictive modes when malicious patterns are detected to permissive modes for legitimate applications. This dynamic adaptation ensures that security measures do not unnecessarily constrain legitimate operations.
3Device complexity
If static rate limits are used for all applications, then system simplicity is maintained, but the ability to detect and respond to application updates or malicious intent is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static to dynamic rate limiting by continuously monitoring API request patterns and adjusting access limits in real-time based on detected behavioral changes. This enables the system to adapt to application updates and detect malicious intent while maintaining manageable complexity through automated decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device performs self-service by automatically analyzing API request patterns, detecting behavioral changes, and adjusting rate limits without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates based on predefined detection criteria, maintaining simplicity in operation while enhancing detection capabilities.
4Speed
If API access is allowed without monitoring request patterns, then processing speed is improved, but the ability to detect changed access procedures or malicious usage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing baseline behavior patterns for applications and continuously comparing current requests against these baselines. This allows the system to detect deviations and potential malicious activities without significantly impacting processing speed, as the comparison operates in parallel with request handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The management device implements self-service monitoring where the system automatically analyzes request patterns and detects behavioral changes without requiring external intervention. The detection mechanism operates efficiently by using predefined detection criteria that are applied automatically to each request, maintaining processing speed while enhancing detection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A management device includes: a processor configured to: store, in a storage, request history information indicating a history of an Application Programming Interface (API) request transmitted by an application and an access-number management table representing number of times API access of the application is able to be made in each unit time; calculate, upon reception of the API request, as for an application having transmitted the API request, a stability based on transition of contents of the API request from the application and the request history information; change the number of times API access of the application is able to be made according to the stability; and upon reception of the API request from the application, compare number of times of access of the application and the number of times API access of the application is able to be made, and determine whether acceptance of the API request is made.