Challenge-Response File Authentication System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current de-duplication systems in massive online storage and backup systems are vulnerable to security breaches due to the use of hash values, which can be guessed or leaked, allowing attackers to access file content without actual possession, and they incur high overhead in authentication and authorization for file downloads, especially during resume operations.
Innovation Solution
A content-based authorization method that generates challenges based on file content, using nonce values and cryptographic processing to validate user possession of file parts, reducing the need for full authentication and authorization overhead by leveraging partial content as a shared secret in challenge-response protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If hash values are used for de-duplication and file identification, then storage efficiency and bandwidth efficiency are improved, but security vulnerability increases allowing attackers to access file content without actual possession
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the file verification process into two parts: storing only hash values for de-duplication purposes, and separately implementing challenge-response authentication that requires actual file possession. This segmentation allows the system to maintain storage efficiency while adding a security layer that prevents hash-based attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The challenge-response mechanism acts as an intermediary between hash-based identification and actual file access. Instead of directly allowing access based on hash matching, the system introduces an authentication challenge that requires the user to prove actual file possession, thereby mediating the security risk.
2Reliability
If full authentication and authorization are performed for every file download operation, then security is maintained, but system overhead and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by requiring users to prove file possession through challenge-response before any download operation. This preliminary verification establishes trust that eliminates the need for repeated full authentication during subsequent download operations, including resume operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of performing complete authentication for every operation, the system performs only the necessary challenge-response verification to prove file possession. This partial authentication approach is sufficient for the intended purpose and avoids the overhead of full authentication while maintaining security.
3Productivity
If resume operations are supported with standard authentication, then download continuity is improved, but authentication overhead is incurred for each resume request
Solution Approach 1:
The challenge-response authentication establishes a continuous trust relationship that persists across multiple download operations including resume operations. Once file possession is proven, the authentication state continues to be valid, allowing resume operations to proceed without repeating the full authentication process, thereby maintaining continuous useful action.
4Device complexity
If weak hash functions are used for de-duplication, then computational complexity is reduced, but vulnerability to guessed or colliding hash values increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for potential hash function weaknesses by implementing challenge-response authentication that is independent of hash strength. This beforehand cushioning ensures that even if hash values are guessed or colliding hashes are found, the security of file access is protected because actual file possession is required to respond to challenges.
Data Source
AI summary
A content-based authorization method is described, wherein the method is operable to validate that a user has access to certain content. By having access to the content, the system is able to decide that the user is authorized to access the content, and may perform operations or set access rights accordingly.