Content Management Server Secure Tunnel for Private Digital Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems, such as PeCMan, face bottlenecks when sharing private digital content due to the need for proxy servers to manage user credentials and transmit data, leading to potential bottlenecks and increased costs for data transfer.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that enable a content management server to establish a secure tunnel with a remote content server, using credentials like user ID and password to create a new session key, allowing clients to access private digital content as if they were the content management server, thereby bypassing the need for proxy transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a proxy server is used to manage user credentials and transmit private digital content, then security is maintained, but the system becomes a bottleneck and increases data transfer costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the credential verification function from the proxy server and implements it directly in the client application. The client now performs authentication and establishes direct connections to content servers, removing the proxy's role as a mandatory intermediary for credential management while maintaining security through client-side security modules
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a security module as a new intermediary component within the client that handles credential verification and secure connection establishment. This security module acts as a local mediator between the client and content servers, eliminating the need for external proxy servers while maintaining security protocols
2Device complexity
If a proxy server is used to transmit all private data, then centralized control is maintained, but data transfer costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data transfer process into two parts: credential verification (handled centrally by the security module) and actual data transfer (handled directly between client and content server). This segmentation allows centralized security control while enabling direct, cost-effective data transmission paths
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary authentication and session key establishment through the security module before direct data transfer begins. By pre-establishing secure credentials and session keys, the system enables subsequent direct connections to content servers without requiring proxy mediation for actual data transmission
Data Source
AI summary
Method for providing access to private digital content installed on a content server C(s), wherein a content manager server C(a) has a number of clients potentially interested in the private content; the method comprising the following steps performed at the content management server C(a):establishing a first communication channel with a client C(b) of the number of clients;receiving a query for private digital content from the client C(b) and sending an appropriate response, causing the client to establish a second communication channel with the content server;establishing a secure session with the content server C(s) over the first and second communication channel;establishing a new session key for the secure session and transmitting said new session key to the client C(b), so that the client can obtain the queried private digital content from the content server as if the client is the content management server.