Authentication Application for Automated Host Login
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user authentication techniques that require user input are impractical for automated tasks involving multiple host systems, as they burden users and prolong task completion times, especially when authenticating thousands of hosts simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A system that enables client devices to generate authentication information independently of user input, using an authentication application that retrieves and utilizes authentication data to produce dynamic authentication factors like OTPs, which are then used to authenticate with server systems, thereby streamlining the authentication process during automated tasks without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If possession-based authentication techniques requiring user input are implemented, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates for automated tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication application performs self-service by automatically generating authentication information using stored authentication data without requiring user input. The system retrieves authentication data from storage, generates authentication information using cryptographic functions, and transmits it automatically, enabling the system to serve its own authentication needs without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by storing authentication data (such as cryptographic keys or secrets) in advance during a setup phase. This pre-stored data enables subsequent automatic generation of authentication information without requiring user presence or input during the actual authentication events, resolving the contradiction between security and ease of operation.
2Reliability
If user input is required for authentication, then security is improved, but productivity deteriorates during automated tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication application autonomously handles the complete authentication process including retrieving stored authentication data, generating authentication information through cryptographic operations, and transmitting it to remote systems. This self-service capability eliminates the need for user intervention, maintaining security while enabling automated tasks to proceed without human input delays.
Solution Approach 2:
By pre-storing authentication data during an initial setup phase, the system enables rapid automatic authentication during subsequent operations. The preliminary storage of cryptographic material allows the system to generate authentication information on-demand without waiting for user input, thus maintaining productivity during automated batch operations across multiple host systems.
3Ease of operation
If authentication information is generated automatically without user input, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication application acts as an intermediary between the stored authentication data and the authentication systems. It securely manages the authentication data, applies cryptographic transformations to generate authentication information, and handles transmission. This intermediary layer ensures that automatic generation maintains reliability by implementing proper security controls, error handling, and validation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses cryptographic copying where authentication information is generated as a derived copy of the stored authentication data through deterministic cryptographic functions. This ensures that the generated authentication information is reliably tied to the original authentication data while allowing automatic generation without direct user involvement in each authentication event.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed relating to generating authentication information independent of user input. In some embodiments, an authentication application repeatedly performs operations to authenticate a client application to one or more hosts of a server system during an automated tasks. In some such embodiments, an instance of the operations includes receiving, from the client application, a request to generate authentication information. In response to the request, the authentication application may retrieve authentication data for the user and, independent of user input, generate an item of authentication information based on the authentication data. The authentication application may then output the item of authentication information to the client application, where the item of authentication information is usable by the client application to authenticate to at least one of the one or more hosts.