Cookie-Based Authentication for Secure Session Establishment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for establishing secure communications between a client and a server in a computer network are inefficient, requiring multiple message exchanges and consuming significant time and bandwidth before actual data can be securely transmitted.

Innovation Solution

A method where a client machine transmits a request for a secure session, authentication data, and payload data in a single message, with the server responding with a master token, user ID token, key exchange data, and payload data in a single message, establishing a secure communications session efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional TLS/SSL protocols are used to establish secure communications, then security is ensured through certificate verification and authentication, but the number of message exchanges increases significantly (up to 11 pairs of messages) and time is consumed before data transmission can begin

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidtime to establish secure communication
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs authentication and key exchange actions in advance by embedding credentials and cryptographic material directly into HTTP cookies. The client machine receives authenticated session information from the server during the initial connection, allowing subsequent requests to be automatically authenticated without additional handshaking messages. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated TLS/SSL certificate verification and key exchange processes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent combines multiple separate authentication and security functions into a single integrated mechanism. Instead of separate steps for certificate verification, key exchange, and session establishment, the system merges these functions into a unified cookie-based authentication approach where all security credentials are transmitted and validated in a single message exchange between client and server.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If conventional TLS/SSL protocols are used to establish secure communications, then security is ensured through multiple authentication steps, but the number of message exchanges increases and bandwidth is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidbandwidth for authentication messages
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate authentication and security functions into a single integrated mechanism. Instead of separate steps for certificate verification, key exchange, and session establishment, the system combines these functions into a unified cookie-based authentication approach where all security credentials are transmitted and validated in a single message exchange between client and server, significantly reducing the quantity of authentication traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts the essential authentication credentials from the complex TLS/SSL protocol sequence and isolates them into a compact cookie format. By taking out only the necessary authentication data (session tokens, credentials) and placing them in a condensed cookie structure, the system eliminates redundant authentication messages while preserving security functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If conventional TLS/SSL protocols are used to establish secure communications, then security is ensured, but the complexity of the communication protocol increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprotocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the essential authentication credentials from the complex TLS/SSL protocol sequence and isolates them into a compact cookie format. By taking out only the necessary authentication data and placing them in a simplified cookie structure, the system eliminates redundant protocol steps and reduces overall communication complexity while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a simplified copy of the authentication mechanism that replicates the security functionality of TLS/SSL without requiring the full protocol complexity. Instead of implementing complete certificate verification and key exchange sequences, the system uses cookie-based credential validation that copies the essential security function in a more straightforward manner.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3210335B1Efficient start-up for secured connections and related services
Publication Date: 2020.06.24 NETFLIX INC
  • EP3210335B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3210335B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3210335B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

One embodiment of the present invention includes an approach for efficient start-up for secured connections and related services. A client machine receives, via an application program, a request to send a secure message to a server machine. The client machine transmits a plurality of messages to the server machine that includes a first message comprising at least two of user authentication data, entity authentication data, key exchange data, and encrypted message data. The client machine receives, from the server machine, a second message that includes a first master token comprising a first set of session keys for encrypting and authenticating messages exchanged with the server machine.