Credential Manager for Automated Access Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Complex software development environments face challenges in securing computing resources due to the complexity of managing user roles, permissions, and credentials, leading to potential unauthorized access, especially when employees leave the organization, as changing authentication data is time-consuming and often not promptly updated.
Innovation Solution
A role-based access control mechanism that implements flexible access control rights based on user roles and credentials, allowing users to access computing resources without disclosing underlying authentication data, using an orchestration engine to automate tasks and ensure authorized access through credential control mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional authentication data management is used, then security control is implemented, but the complexity of managing credentials increases and security updates become time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a credential manager as an intermediary component that sits between users and computing resources. This credential manager handles the storage, retrieval, and rotation of authentication data, eliminating the need for users to directly manage credentials. The system automatically manages credential lifecycles including generation, distribution, rotation, and revocation, thereby reducing management complexity while maintaining security control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated credential rotation and updates without requiring manual intervention from administrators or users. When credentials need to be rotated or updated, the system automatically generates new credentials, distributes them to authorized users, and revokes old credentials. This self-service mechanism eliminates time-consuming manual updates while maintaining security.
2Ease of operation
If authentication data is provided to users for accessing computing resources, then access control is enabled, but the risk of unauthorized access increases when employees leave the organization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic credential management where authentication data is automatically rotated and updated based on predefined policies. Credentials have embedded expiration timestamps and are automatically revoked after a specified period or upon employee termination. This dynamic approach ensures that even if credentials are compromised or employees leave, the window for unauthorized access is minimized because credentials become invalid automatically.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring credential rotation schedules and automatic revocation policies before security incidents occur. When an employee leaves the organization, the system automatically revokes their credentials without requiring manual intervention. This preliminary setup of automated processes ensures that access control remains secure while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If manual credential rotation is implemented when employees leave, then security is maintained, but the process becomes onerous and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The credential manager implements self-service automation for the entire credential lifecycle. When employees leave the organization or credentials need rotation, the system automatically identifies affected credentials, generates new authentication data, distributes it to authorized users, and revokes old credentials without requiring manual administrator intervention. This automation maintains security reliability while eliminating the time-consuming manual processes of removing old credentials and implementing new ones.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuous security maintenance through automated credential rotation that operates continuously without interruption. Credential updates, rotations, and revocations occur automatically according to predefined schedules or triggers, ensuring that security is maintained without pause or manual intervention. This continuous automated process eliminates gaps in security coverage while reducing the time administrators would otherwise spend on manual credential management.
Data Source
AI summary
Mechanisms for controlling access to credentials are disclosed. A computing device receives, at a first time, a request associated with a user to initiate a plurality of actions against a computing resource of a plurality of computing resources, the request including a credential identifier that identifies a credential. A memory is accessed, based on the credential identifier, to retrieve the credential identified by the credential identifier that was stored in the memory at a time prior to the first time, the credential comprising authentication information configured to authenticate the plurality of actions to the computing resource. The computing device communicates the request and the authentication information to an orchestration engine for execution of the plurality of actions against the computing resource.