Authorization Service for Device-Level Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud-based network environments lack the configurability and customization necessary to effectively manage access to enterprise resources at a device level, posing challenges in protecting sensitive information and services.
Innovation Solution
A system and method where a client device communicates with an authorization service to authenticate user and device credentials, and may require a secondary client device to be in communication as a prerequisite for accessing resources, using authorization credentials like PINs, keys, or tokens to ensure secure access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cloud-based network environments are used to host enterprise resources, then accessibility and scalability are improved, but security and configurability for device-level access control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authorization service as an intermediary between client devices and enterprise resources in the cloud. This service receives access requests, authenticates credentials, verifies distribution rules, and grants or denies access accordingly. The intermediary handles the security complexity centrally, allowing cloud-based accessibility while maintaining enterprise-level security control through a dedicated authorization layer.
2Reliability
If traditional firewalls and VPN tunnels are used for access control, then network-level security is improved, but device-level access control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments access control into multiple layers: network-level controls (firewalls, VPNs) and device-level controls (authorization service with distribution rules). The authorization service independently verifies device credentials and enforces distribution rules at the application layer, enabling fine-grained device-level control without compromising network-level security measures.
3Reliability
If device-level access control is implemented in cloud-based environments, then security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authorization service acts as a centralized intermediary that manages the complexity of device-level access control. It handles credential authentication, distribution rule verification, and access decisions in one place, reducing the complexity burden on individual client devices and cloud infrastructure while maintaining comprehensive security control.
Data Source
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AI summary
In a networked environment, a client side application executed on a client device may transmit a request to an authorization service for access to a resource. The authorization service may authenticate the user of client device and/or the client device based on user credentials and/or a device identifier. The authorization service may require that the client device comply with a distribution rule associated with the resource, where the distribution rule requires a specified secondary client device to be in communication with the client device as a prerequisite to accessing the resource. The client side application may determine that the client device complies with the distribution rule and may thereafter access the resources. In some cases, the secondary client device facilitates access to the resource, which may involve receiving from the secondary client device an authorization credential to be used for receiving authorization to access the resource.