Automated Key Distribution for Network Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual distribution of keypairs for secured communication between networked devices is time-consuming and prone to errors, especially in large networks, leading to increased setup time and resource allocation for debugging errors.
Innovation Solution
An automated key distribution process where network devices check for credentials like public keys, and if absent, communicate with a backend server to obtain certificates, enabling secure communication without manual input, using monitoring appliances and agents in a networked system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual key distribution is used, then security can be established between network devices, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone in large networks
Solution Approach 1:
A backend server is introduced as an intermediary to automatically distribute public keys between monitoring appliances and agents. The server stores public keys and automatically provides them to agents that need to establish secure communication, eliminating manual key distribution while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
Agents automatically obtain their public keys from the backend server without requiring manual configuration. The system enables self-service by allowing agents to autonomously retrieve necessary cryptographic materials for establishing secure communications.
2Reliability
If manual key input is performed, then secured communication can be configured, but human errors such as mis-typed or mis-read keys increase with system size
Solution Approach 1:
The backend server acts as a centralized repository for public keys, eliminating the need for manual key input and copy-paste operations. By providing an automated retrieval mechanism, the system removes human error from the key distribution process entirely.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of manually copying and pasting keys, the system uses automated digital distribution where the public key is programmatically transferred from the backend server to the agent, ensuring exact replication without human intervention.
3Productivity
If automated key distribution is implemented, then setup time and errors are reduced, but system complexity increases with backend server requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The backend server leverages existing infrastructure and can serve multiple functions including key distribution, certificate management, and potentially other security-related tasks. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by providing comprehensive security management in a single system.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for providing an automated key distribution to enable communication between two networked devices. A monitoring device receives a request from a network device to send a certificate using a second secure connection prior to an expiration of a timeout period, wherein the second secure connection was created using a known port in response to determining that a request to create a first secure connection was rejected. The monitoring device sends the certificate to the network device using the second secure connection, and establishes the first secure connection with the network device in response to the network device receiving the public key of the monitoring device from a server system by using the certificate.