Container Authentication via Dynamic Access Group Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container image building tools, such as DOCKER_BUILDKIT, do not support access control lists (ACLs) for files and directories in container images, leading to exposure to unauthorized access and misuse.
Innovation Solution
Implement a dynamic user authentication and authorization mechanism for containers by creating temporary user credentials based on access groups, mapping these groups to predefined ACLs, and setting expiration dates for credentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If container image building tools are used without ACL support, then container deployment is simple and fast, but security is compromised and unauthorized access is possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining access groups and their associated permissions within the container image during the build process. These access control configurations are prepared in advance and stored as part of the container image, so that when the container runs, the authentication and authorization mechanisms are already in place and ready to enforce security policies without requiring complex runtime configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary access control layer that sits between the user and the container resources. This intermediary mechanism uses predefined access groups to mediate authentication and authorization requests, translating user credentials into permitted actions. This intermediary layer enforces security policies without requiring direct complex access control logic in every application, thereby improving security while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Reliability
If dynamic user credentials are created for each access request, then security is improved, but processing time and system overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining access groups and their associated permissions within the container image during the build process. These access control configurations are prepared in advance and stored as part of the container image, so that when the container runs, the authentication and authorization mechanisms are already in place and ready to enforce security policies without requiring complex runtime configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by creating temporary user credentials dynamically at runtime based on the authenticated user's identity and their associated access groups. Rather than using static hard-coded credentials, the system generates credentials on-demand, assigns them to the user session, and automatically manages their lifecycle. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt security credentials to each user's specific permissions while maintaining efficient access control.
Data Source
AI summary
An example methodology includes, by a container hosted on a computing device, receiving a request to access the container, the request including a temporary username and password and an access group to which a user associated with the request belongs. The method also includes, by the container, creating a temporary user credentials based on the temporary username and password, adding the user to the container, mapping the access group passed with the request to an equivalent predefined access group within the container, and assigning the user to the equivalent predefined access group, wherein the predefined access group within the container specifies permissions to be granted to the user. The method further includes, by the container, providing access to the container based on the temporary user credentials and the equivalent predefined access group and sending a response to the request, the response including information about the provided access to the container.