Centralized Database Schema for Automated Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Companies face risks such as data loss and unauthorized access when granting third-party technical support personnel access to their IT infrastructure and business applications, due to the lack of a comprehensive database schema that links disparate system components and information across multiple platforms.
Innovation Solution
A database schema that uses centralized tables to link various system components and information, including user IDs and employee IDs, to provide oversight and automated access control across disparate systems and applications, allowing technical support personnel to access protected applications without needing user IDs and passwords.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If third-party technical support personnel are granted access to company IT infrastructure and business applications, then technical support services can be provided, but security risks such as data loss and unauthorized access increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an Access Control Center (ACC) as an intermediary system between third-party technical support personnel and the company's IT infrastructure. The ACC manages authentication, authorization, and access control policies, allowing support personnel to access systems only under controlled conditions with proper approvals and time-limited credentials, thereby enabling support services while mitigating security risks through centralized mediation
2Extent of automation
If a comprehensive database schema is implemented to link system components across multiple platforms, then automated access control can be achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal database schema that serves multiple functions: storing user credentials, managing access policies, tracking audit logs, and coordinating authentication across disparate systems. This multi-functional schema consolidates what would otherwise require separate databases for each function, reducing overall system complexity while enabling comprehensive automated access control across multiple platforms and applications
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed for providing a database schema that links various system components and information to provide oversight and automated access control across disparate systems and applications. In one implementation, the database schema may use separate centralized tables to tie the various system components and information together. For example, one table may store information concerning technical support personnel authorized to address a given technical support incident, and another table may store information concerning approval given to do the technical support personnel to access a resource needed to provide the technical support, and the level of access needed to address provide technical support. Auxiliary tables may then be provided to support the centralized tables. Such an arrangement has a number of advantages, including the ability to allow the technical support personnel to access user ID-protected and/or password-protected systems/applications without using or knowing the user IDs and passwords.