Adaptive Cloud Interface Authentication for Troubleshooting Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud computing infrastructure often requires unfettered access for troubleshooting, but existing security measures prevent such access, leading to unrecoverable failures necessitating complete reinstallation.
Innovation Solution
A secure key exchange protocol generates a new public key pair, encrypts a request token with a pre-stored public key, and transmits it to a remotely executing process, allowing dual-party authentication to grant temporary, unrestricted access to cloud infrastructure functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If security measures are implemented to prevent unfettered access to cloud infrastructure, then security is improved, but the ability to access infrastructure for troubleshooting deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts access control based on authentication credentials. The interface transitions from a restricted state (allowing only defined endpoint access) to an unrestricted state (allowing unfettered access) when proper authentication is provided. This dynamic behavior resolves the contradiction by making security adaptive rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism (mutual authentication protocol involving certificates and tokens) between the user and the cloud infrastructure. This intermediary verifies identities and mediates access requests, allowing the system to safely grant unfettered access when appropriate while maintaining security constraints otherwise.
2Ease of repair
If unfettered access is granted for troubleshooting, then ease of repair is improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication actions before granting access. The mutual authentication protocol and certificate verification are executed in advance to establish trust, ensuring that unfettered access is only granted to authenticated entities. This preliminary security check enables easy troubleshooting while preventing security breaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the access parameter from restricted to unrestricted based on authentication status. When mutual authentication succeeds, the interface parameter governing access control is changed to allow unfettered access. This parameter change enables troubleshooting access while maintaining security through conditional transformation of the access state.
3Reliability
If defined endpoints with limited functionality are used, then security is improved, but adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The interface adapts its functionality based on authentication credentials. Initially, only defined endpoints with limited functionality are accessible. Upon successful mutual authentication, the interface dynamically expands to provide access to all functionality. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between security and versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication mechanism serves multiple functions: it verifies identities, establishes trust relationships, and controls access levels. The same authenticated interface can provide both restricted access (for unauthenticated users) and unrestricted access (for authenticated users), making the system universally applicable to different security requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
An interface, through which functionality of a cloud computing infrastructure can be accessed, can create defined endpoints through which such an interface is accessed, with such defined endpoints limiting the functionality accessible through the interface to only allowed functions. An elevate function can, through a secure key exchange protocol, receive appropriate assurances and can, in response, remove the functionality limitations of the endpoint, thereby enabling unfettered access to the cloud computing infrastructure. Such unrestricted access can be limited in duration, which duration can be established in advance, or agreed-upon through the key exchange mechanism.