Application Authentication Wrapper for Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices face challenges in authenticating across public networks due to the need for VPN connections, which reduce bandwidth and can be unreliable, and are constrained by operating system limitations that restrict background processes to conserve battery life.
Innovation Solution
An application authentication wrapper redirects authentication requests through a listener application on the client device, which encrypts and relays them to a proxy server, which then forwards them to an authentication server, allowing secure authentication without the need for direct VPN connections, thereby bypassing VPN limitations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a VPN connection is used for secure authentication across public networks, then security is improved, but bandwidth is reduced and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Kerberos authentication framework as an intermediary mechanism between the mobile device and the corporate network. Instead of using traditional VPN connections that require direct network access and encryption/decryption of all traffic, the Kerberos system mediates authentication through ticket-granting mechanisms. The Key Distribution Center (KDC) acts as a trusted intermediary that issues authentication tickets, allowing the device to authenticate securely without establishing a continuous VPN tunnel, thereby preserving bandwidth while maintaining authentication reliability.
2Reliability
If a VPN connection is used for secure authentication, then security is improved, but the connection reliability deteriorates due to port blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the communication parameters from traditional VPN protocols that rely on specific ports (IPSec, SSL) to Kerberos authentication over standard HTTP/HTTPS ports. By modifying the authentication mechanism to use web-compatible protocols and ports, the system bypasses port blocking restrictions commonly encountered in public networks like coffee shops, while maintaining secure authentication through Kerberos ticket-based verification.
3Use of energy by moving object
If VPN background processes are restricted by the operating system, then battery life is improved, but authentication functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements Kerberos authentication with periodic ticket renewal instead of continuous VPN background processes. The authentication system operates periodically by renewing authentication tickets at scheduled intervals rather than maintaining a constant VPN connection. This periodic authentication approach reduces background process activity, conserving battery life while ensuring authentication functionality remains available when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various approaches for implementing an application authentication wrapper. An authentication request, such as a Kerberos request, is created for authenticating the computing device. The authentication request is encrypted to generate an encrypted authentication request. The encrypted authentication request is then forwarded to a reverse proxy server. An encrypted authentication response is received from the reverse proxy server. The encrypted authentication response, such as a Kerberos response, is then decrypted to generate a corresponding authentication response, which is then forwarded to the computing device that generated the authentication request.