Banking Request Token Validation Against Replay Attacks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current application security systems rely on a single gateway module, which is a single point of failure, and fail to provide adequate security against web-based and mobile banking attacks, particularly vulnerable to replay attacks due to session tokens remaining valid throughout the user session.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system that issues new session tokens, such as MORF tokens, for each request, requiring validation for every request, and includes multiple validation points to ensure security, using JWTs, CSRF tokens, and MORF tokens to mitigate replay attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single gateway module is used for application security, then the system structure is simple, but it creates a single point of failure that reduces system reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the security gateway into multiple independent gateway modules, each capable of validating requests. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gateway module is assigned to validate specific requests based on their characteristics, allowing different modules to handle different types of validation tasks. This local specialization improves reliability without requiring all modules to perform all validation functions.
2Speed
If session tokens remain valid throughout the user session, then authentication speed is fast, but the system becomes vulnerable to replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic token validation where gateway modules generate and validate tokens on-demand for each request. This dynamic approach maintains fast authentication by avoiding full session re-verification while preventing replay attacks through per-request token generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary token validation at the gateway level before allowing requests to reach the application layer. This preliminary action ensures that even if session tokens remain valid, replay attacks are blocked by requiring fresh tokens for each request.
3Productivity
If full authorization is performed only at the start of the user session, then system performance is optimized, but security is reduced due to potential replay attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authorization process into two parts: initial full authorization at session start (for performance) and per-request token validation at the gateway (for security). This segmentation allows the system to maintain both performance and security by handling validation at different layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway module acts as an intermediary between the user and the application, performing lightweight token validation without requiring full authorization re-checks. This intermediary layer maintains security while preserving system performance by avoiding redundant full authorization operations.
4Reliability
If multiple gateway modules are deployed to eliminate single point of failure, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multiple gateway modules that operate independently with standardized interfaces. This segmentation improves reliability through redundancy while controlling complexity through modular design and clear separation of responsibilities.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gateway module is designed with universal functionality to handle various request types and validation scenarios. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by avoiding the need for specialized modules for each specific validation task.
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.