Blockchain Smart Contract Access Token Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current access right management systems in IoT systems are complex and vulnerable, particularly when managing groups of users, as they rely on centralized trusted third parties and do not support agile or delegated access control.
Innovation Solution
A method and system using smart contracts on a blockchain to generate and manage access tokens, where access rights are stored and verified through a decentralized network, eliminating the need for a central authority and enabling agile and delegated access management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a centralized authorization server is used to manage access rights, then access control can be implemented, but the system becomes vulnerable to attacks and requires a trusted third party
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the centralized authorization server from the system and replaces it with a decentralized blockchain network. Access rights are no longer managed by a single vulnerable point but are distributed across multiple nodes through smart contracts, eliminating the trusted third party requirement while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized authorization function is segmented into distributed smart contracts on the blockchain. Each node in the network maintains a copy of the access control logic, dividing the security responsibility across multiple independent entities rather than concentrating it in a single server.
2Ease of operation
If OAuth 2.0 protocol is used for access right management, then access control is achieved, but the system becomes complex when managing groups of users and contextual attributes
Solution Approach 1:
The smart contract-based system provides a universal access control mechanism that handles both individual users and groups through the same protocol. The blockchain infrastructure unifies the management of different access scenarios, eliminating the need for separate complex key distribution systems for different user types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the fundamental parameters of access control from centralized key management to decentralized cryptographic verification. By using blockchain's immutable ledger and smart contract execution, the system transforms access right management into a simpler, more transparent process based on cryptographic proofs rather than centralized authorization tokens.
3Adaptability or versatility
If access rights are managed centrally, then authorization can be verified, but the system lacks agility for dynamic access policies and group management
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamic access policy management through programmable smart contracts on the blockchain. Access rights can be updated, modified, or revoked by executing new transactions on the blockchain, allowing agile adaptation to changing requirements while maintaining the reliability of the underlying cryptographic verification mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A method/a system for accessing personal data using an access token server, a data server and a blockchain. The access token server generates the access rights of different users in the form of access tokens. The access token server stores an access token by transmitting it via a first transaction, to a first smart contract of the blockchain. A user can request an access authorization by transmitting a second transaction to a second smart contract that can access the token by presenting cryptographic elements to authenticate the user. A granted authorization is recorded by the second contract in the blockchain. A user may access the personal data by transmitting an access request to the data server. This interrogates the second smart contract to verify the authorization and to obtain the access token. The data server next transmits the stored personal data to a URL specified in the token.