Blinded Access Control Identifier for Anonymous Rate Limiting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for access control and rate limiting in network services face challenges in preventing fraud while maintaining user privacy, as they often rely on IP addresses that can be bypassed using VPNs or other techniques, and device identifiers can compromise user anonymity.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a blinded access control identifier system, where a randomness factor is used to generate a blinded access control identifier, which is then encrypted and verified by a verification server, allowing for anonymous rate limiting without associating the identifier with a specific user or device, ensuring privacy and preventing fraudulent activities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device identifiers are used for access control and rate limiting, then fraud prevention capability is improved, but user privacy is compromised due to association of specific users/devices with download requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identifying characteristics from the device identifier by using cryptographic hashing to generate a fingerprint. This fingerprint serves as the rate limiting identifier without containing personally identifiable information, thus separating the fraud prevention function from privacy-intrusive device identification
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cryptographic hash function as an intermediary between the device identifier and the rate limiting system. This intermediary transforms the original identifier into an anonymous fingerprint that prevents direct association with specific users while maintaining uniqueness for fraud prevention purposes
2Reliability
If IP addresses are used for fraud prevention, then rate limiting capability is improved, but user privacy is compromised and the system can be defeated by VPNs or other techniques
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential identifying characteristics from the device through cryptographic hashing, creating a fingerprint that is resistant to manipulation. This approach removes the vulnerability to IP-based bypass techniques while maintaining the ability to identify and limit rates for specific devices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/network-based identification system (IP addresses) with a cryptographic system. This substitution uses mathematical properties of hash functions to provide more robust device identification that cannot be easily manipulated or bypassed through network techniques
3Productivity
If device identifiers are used to track service usage rates, then rate limiting effectiveness is improved, but user anonymity is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rate-limiting-necessary identifying features from the device identifier through cryptographic hashing. The resulting fingerprint maintains device uniqueness for effective rate limiting while removing all personally identifiable information that would compromise user anonymity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the device identifier through a cryptographic hash function, changing its parameter representation from a potentially identifiable format to an anonymous fingerprint format. This parameter transformation maintains the uniqueness needed for rate limiting while eliminating privacy risks
Data Source
AI summary
A service client on a device can generate an access control identifier using a server seeded and client-specific secret. The device can generate a blinded access control identifier (ACI) using a randomness factor as part of a request message for a blinded ACI signature including authentication data. The device can transmit the request message to a verification server and upon verification receive a blinded ACI signature message that can subsequently be unblinded using the randomness factor to obtain the ACI signature. The device may send the ACI and the ACI signature to a verification server and after verifying the signature receive a service token. The device may transmit the service token to a service provider server requesting access to the service. When a rate associated with the service token is below a threshold rate, the device can access the service provided by the service provider service.