Client-Side Credential Control for Secure Remote Device Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security measures for remote operations are inadequate, particularly in IoT systems, leading to vulnerabilities that can result in large-scale attacks and potential threats to financial resources, data, and even human life, as they often compromise core functionality and usability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing client-side credential control using a secure storage device connected to the client device, which verifies user credentials and generates a signed data block for authorized commands, ensuring that only valid credentials can execute commands on remotely operable devices, thereby enhancing security without major modifications to existing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional security measures are implemented for remote operations, then security level is improved, but core functionality and usability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
A gateway device is introduced as an intermediary between the client device and the protected device. The gateway performs credential verification and command authorization, acting as a mediator that enforces security without requiring changes to the protected device's core functionality. This resolves the contradiction by placing security enforcement at the communication layer rather than compromising the device's operational design.
Solution Approach 2:
The security function is segmented from the protected device and placed in a separate gateway device. The gateway handles credential verification and authorization, while the protected device maintains its original functionality. This segmentation allows security measures to be implemented without deteriorating the ease of operation of the protected device.
2Reliability
If advanced security systems are implemented to protect remote operations, then security level is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as an external intermediary that concentrates all security-related complexity in a single device. The protected device remains simple and unchanged, while the gateway handles the complex tasks of credential verification, command parsing, and authorization. This resolves the contradiction by isolating complexity to the gateway rather than increasing it within the protected device.
Solution Approach 2:
Security functions are extracted from the protected device and placed in the gateway. The protected device maintains its original simple structure, while the gateway contains the security logic for credential verification and command authorization. This extraction prevents the protected device from becoming complex while still providing advanced security.
3Reliability
If server-side authorization is implemented, then security control is improved, but server workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authorization function is segmented from the server and placed in the gateway device. The gateway performs local credential verification and command authorization, reducing the need for server-side processing. This segmentation maintains security control while significantly reducing server workload by handling authorization at the edge device.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway performs self-service authorization by verifying credentials and validating commands locally without requiring server intervention for each operation. The server only needs to provision credentials initially, after which the gateway independently handles all authorization decisions, reducing server workload while maintaining security control.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to client-side credential control to allow remote access to a second device by a first device, including: storing a private key of a key pair in a secure storage device of a first device, generating data related to a command executable by the second device, checking in the secure storage device, whether the data corresponds to at least one user credential related to the command executable by the second device stored in the secure storage device, signing a data block derived from the data using the private key, and transmitting a data packet generated from the data block to a gateway of the second device.