Remote Credential Security via Key Pair Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face the inconvenience of having to re-enter or re-populate their electronic credentials when changing devices, as credentials are typically stored locally and not securely managed across multiple devices or networks.
Innovation Solution
A method for securing user credentials in a remote repository involves generating key pairs, encrypting credentials, and using authentication tokens to verify access, allowing secure storage and retrieval across devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If credentials are stored locally on the device, then access speed is fast, but user convenience deteriorates when device changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
A cloud-based credential management system serves as an intermediary between the user's multiple devices. The system stores encrypted credentials centrally and provides authentication tokens that enable seamless access across different devices without requiring local storage on each device, thus maintaining fast access while improving user convenience during device changes
Solution Approach 2:
The credential management system is designed to be universal, working across multiple devices and networks. It provides a single centralized location for credential storage that serves all user devices, eliminating the need for device-specific credential storage and enabling consistent access regardless of which device the user is accessing services from
2Ease of operation
If credentials are stored centrally in a remote repository, then user convenience is improved, but security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Before storing credentials in the remote repository, the system performs preliminary encryption of the credentials using strong cryptographic algorithms. This preliminary security action ensures that even if the central repository is compromised, the credentials remain protected, thus maintaining high security while enabling convenient centralized storage
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces authentication tokens as an intermediary mechanism between the user and the stored credentials. These tokens are generated during authentication and are required to access the encrypted credentials in the repository, adding an extra layer of security while maintaining user convenience through automated authentication processes
3Reliability
If credentials are stored locally on each device, then security is maintained, but adaptability deteriorates when users switch devices
Solution Approach 1:
The credential management system is designed with universality to work across multiple devices and networks. It provides a single centralized location for credential storage that serves all user devices, eliminating the need for device-specific credential storage and enabling consistent access regardless of which device the user is accessing services from, thus improving adaptability while maintaining security through encryption
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to different devices and networks by generating device-specific authentication tokens when users log in. These tokens are temporarily stored in secure memory on each device and automatically expire, allowing the system to maintain security on each device while enabling seamless adaptation when users switch between different devices
Data Source
AI summary
A method of securing user credentials in a remote repository is provided. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method comprising generating a first private key and a first public key pair from a registered password; generating a second private key and a second public key pair; generating a storage key from the second private key and the first public key; encrypting a set of credentials using the storage key; creating a encrypted credential signature from the encrypted set of credentials and the first private key; and storing the encrypted set of credentials, the encrypted credential signature, and the second public key in the remote repository.