Consensus Configuration Plane for Secure Network Device Changes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compromising a configuration device in a network can allow attackers to reconfigure end devices, compromising network security and operation.
Innovation Solution
Implement a consensus-driven configuration plane using an orchestration proxy that requires matching configuration commands from multiple devices before sending changes to end devices, ensuring integrity through read-only memory and partial password generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single configuration device is used to send configuration commands to end devices, then the operation is simple and fast, but the network security is compromised because compromising one device allows attackers to reconfigure end devices
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration plane is segmented into multiple configuration devices instead of relying on a single device. Each configuration device can independently send configuration commands to the proxy, creating a distributed architecture that eliminates the single point of failure and security vulnerability inherent in centralized configuration management.
Solution Approach 2:
A proxy is introduced as an intermediary component between configuration devices and end devices. The proxy receives configuration commands from multiple configuration devices, performs consensus validation to determine if commands match, and only then forwards the validated command to the end device. This intermediary layer provides security validation without requiring direct access between configuration devices and end devices.
2Reliability
If multiple configuration devices are used to send configuration commands, then the network security is improved through consensus validation, but the operation complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation by checking if configuration commands from multiple devices match before forwarding to the end device. This preliminary consensus check ensures that only validated configuration changes are applied, preventing malicious or erroneous commands from compromising the network while maintaining efficient processing through the proxy's validation logic.
3Reliability
If configuration commands are validated through consensus matching, then unauthorized changes are prevented, but the configuration process becomes slower due to multiple validation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy acts as an intermediary that efficiently handles the consensus validation process. It receives configuration commands from multiple configuration devices, validates whether the commands match, and only then forwards the validated command to the end device. This intermediary approach streamlines the validation process and prevents unauthorized configuration changes while maintaining operational efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Configuration changes to the configurations of end devices in a network may be made by configuration devices, which may set up connections with the end devices and send configuration commands to the end devices. In such a system, the compromising of a configuration device may make it possible for an attacker to reconfigure end devices. Systems and methods to improve network security via a consensus-driven configuration plane are provided.