Automated Application Privilege Determination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The principle of least privilege in computing is often not applied effectively due to difficulties in determining the minimum set of permissions necessary for applications to perform their intended functions, leading to security issues and increased development complexity.
Innovation Solution
An automated approach is introduced to determine the minimal permissions required by executing applications in a testing environment with a maximum set of permissions, observing operations, and recording the necessary permissions, which are then used to generate a list or configure the application with the minimal permissions required.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If blanket permissions are granted to applications, then ease of development is improved, but security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis during the development phase to determine the exact permissions needed before deployment. By analyzing application code, dependencies, and runtime behavior in advance, the system generates a minimal permission set that satisfies both development ease and security requirements, preventing unnecessary permission escalation.
Solution Approach 2:
The application itself provides information about its permission requirements through code analysis and dependency inspection. The system automatically extracts permission needs from the application's own structure, imports, and configuration files, eliminating the need for manual permission assignment and enabling self-documented minimal permission sets.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual permission management is performed, then adaptability is improved, but productivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically analyzes application code, dependencies, and runtime behavior to self-determine the minimal permission set required. This eliminates manual permission management while maintaining adaptability, as the system dynamically adjusts permissions based on the specific application's actual needs rather than using static or blanket permission assignments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops that monitor application runtime behavior and compare actual permission usage against the assigned minimal permission set. This feedback mechanism ensures adaptability by allowing the system to refine permission assignments based on observed usage patterns while maintaining high productivity through automation.
3Reliability
If maximum set of permissions is assigned, then reliability is improved, but principle of least privilege is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs comprehensive code analysis, dependency inspection, and runtime behavior monitoring during the development and testing phases to preliminarily determine the exact permissions needed. This preliminary action ensures that the minimal permission set assigned at deployment is sufficient for reliable operation while maintaining the principle of least privilege by excluding unnecessary permissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual permission assignment mechanisms with automated analysis tools that use code parsing, static analysis, and dynamic monitoring. This substitution enables precise determination of minimal permissions through systematic analysis rather than manual estimation, ensuring both reliability and adherence to least privilege principles.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for automated determination of application privileges. An application testing service executes an application in a testing computing environment that replicates a production computing environment. The application is given a set of permissions in the testing computing environment. A set of use cases for the application is performed while the application is executing in the testing computing environment. A set of operations invoked by the application to perform the set of use cases is determined. A subset of the set of permissions is generated that corresponds to a minimal set of permissions necessary to invoke the set of operations.