Binding Multiple Authentications via Unique Identifier
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication methods fail to effectively bind multiple authentications for a peer across different authentication servers, making them vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks and complicating secure data exchange.
Innovation Solution
The method involves using a unique identifier (UID) shared securely among peers, authentication servers, and authenticators to bind multiple authentications, ensuring that data exchanges are secured using cryptographic keys generated by these authentications, thereby preventing man-in-the-middle attacks and simplifying the process of multiple authentication management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple authentications are performed without binding them to a unique identifier, then authentication flexibility is improved, but security against man-in-the-middle attacks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a unique identifier (UID) as an intermediary element that mediates between multiple authentication processes. The UID is generated by the peer and securely exchanged with authentication servers, serving as a binding mechanism that links all authentications to a single peer identity. This intermediary structure allows flexible multiple authentications while preventing man-in-the-middle attacks by ensuring all authentications are cryptographically bound to the same peer through the UID.
2Ease of operation
If multiple authentications are performed without a binding mechanism, then authentication process simplicity is improved, but data exchange security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The unique identifier serves as a universal binding mechanism that handles multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies the peer across different authentications, links cryptographic keys from multiple authentications to the correct peer, and enables secure data exchange without requiring complex per-authentication binding logic. This multi-functional approach simplifies the authentication process while maintaining strong security guarantees for data exchange.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cryptographic keys from multiple authentications are not bound to a unique identifier, then key management flexibility is improved, but secure data exchange capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The unique identifier acts as a mediator that binds cryptographic keys from multiple authentications to the correct peer. The authentication server receives the UID, performs authentication, and returns cryptographic keys that are implicitly bound to the UID. This allows flexible key management where multiple keys can be obtained from different authentications while ensuring secure data exchange by correctly associating each key with its corresponding peer identity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques for binding multiple authentications for a peer are described. In one design, multiple authentications for the peer may be bound based on a unique identifier for the peer. The unique identifier may be a pseudo-random number and may be exchanged securely between the peer, an authentication server, and an authenticator in order to prevent a man-in-the-middle attack. Data for all authentications bound by the unique identifier may be exchanged securely based on one or more cryptographic keys generated by all or a subset of these authentications. In another design, multiple levels of security may be used for multiple authentications for a peer. The peer may perform a first authentication with a first authentication server and obtain a first cryptographic key and may also perform a second authentication with the first authentication server or a second authentication server and obtain a second cryptographic key. The peer may thereafter securely exchange data using the two keys using nested security.