Banking API Token Rotation for Replay Attack Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current application security systems for web-based and mobile banking applications rely on a single gateway module, which is a single point of failure, and are vulnerable to replay attacks due to session tokens remaining valid throughout the user session, failing to provide adequate security against fraudulent requests.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system that issues new session tokens, such as MORF tokens, for each request, requiring validation for every request, and utilizes multiple validators and proxy sidecars to ensure token matching and authorization across various APIs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single gateway module is used for application security, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single gateway module into multiple distributed gateway instances that operate independently. Each gateway handles specific requests and can fail without affecting other gateways, transforming the system from a monolithic single point of failure to a distributed resilient architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the gateway system from a single-instance mode to a multi-instance distributed mode. This parameter change allows the system to maintain security functions while improving reliability through redundancy and fault isolation between instances.
2Ease of operation
If session tokens remain valid throughout the user session, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates due to vulnerability to replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static session token validity from a fixed long-term valid state to a dynamic state where tokens are continuously validated and regenerated. Each request triggers a new token generation process, making the security mechanism adaptive and preventing replay attacks while maintaining user experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic token validation and regeneration at each request boundary. Instead of one-time authentication at session start, the system performs periodic security checks and issues new tokens for each request, creating a rolling security mechanism that prevents replay attacks.
3Device complexity
If JWTs or CSRF tokens are retrieved and validated only once at session start, then device complexity is reduced, but security deteriorates due to insufficient validation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary token validation and regeneration at the gateway level before requests reach the application layer. This preliminary action ensures that tokens are verified multiple times throughout the session, not just at initialization, providing continuous security without requiring complex validation logic throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the gateway as an intermediary security layer that handles multiple validation functions. The gateway acts as a mediator between the client and the application, performing token verification and regeneration centrally, which simplifies the overall system architecture while enhancing security through multiple validation points.
4Productivity
If full authorization is performed only at the start of user session, then productivity is improved, but security deteriorates due to replay attack risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial authorization action at each request boundary by validating and regenerating tokens specifically for that request. This partial action is sufficient to prevent replay attacks without requiring full re-authentication processes, maintaining productivity while enhancing security through targeted validation at critical points.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for application security improvements are provided. The systems and methods may receive a banking request, including a request header, from a web browser or mobile application. Thereafter, a session cookie may be extracted from the request header. The session cookie may include one or more of a CSRF token, a MORF token, and a JWT. Thereafter, an outer API may validate the one or more tokens and create a validated banking request object. Upon such validations, a financial institution's APIs may allow a banking request to proceed with a high degree of confidence that the request is free of interference by bad actors and fraud. The validated banking request object may be transmitted to an inner API to accomplish the banking request. Thus, the system and methods described herein provide an improved system for application security, which decreases rates of fraud below that of known systems.