Credential Provider for Secure Local Network Device Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Home network environments face challenges in providing secure and seamless access to various features and functionalities for web applications, particularly due to restrictions imposed by HTTPS communication protocols, which limit the ability of web apps to interact with network devices effectively, leading to issues like latency and restricted functionality.
Innovation Solution
A target device with a processor and memory configured to receive tokens from client web applications, create links to remote repositories, and access secure areas, enabling secure communication between client and target devices via HTTPS, thus overcoming protocol sensitivity and allowing access to restricted network resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If web applications use HTTPS communication protocol to ensure security, then security is improved, but the ability to interact with network devices is restricted and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a credential provider as an intermediary component that runs within the browser environment. This credential provider acts as a mediator between the HTTPS-restricted web application and the network device, enabling the app to obtain and manage credentials necessary for direct communication with network devices while maintaining HTTPS security requirements. The intermediary resolves the contradiction by allowing secure credential acquisition without bypassing HTTPS protocols.
2Reliability
If web applications are served from HTTPS websites, then security is improved, but the ability to open arbitrary communications with network devices is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic credential management where the credential provider can adaptively provide different credentials based on the specific network device and communication requirements. The system dynamically determines which credentials are needed and provides them on-demand, allowing the web application to flexibly communicate with various network devices while maintaining HTTPS security. This dynamic approach enables communication flexibility without compromising the static security requirements of HTTPS.
3Adaptability or versatility
If web applications execute in a browser environment, then portability across platforms is improved, but additional restrictions on network communications are imposed
Solution Approach 1:
The credential provider is implemented as a self-service component within the browser environment that automatically manages credential acquisition and transmission. Rather than requiring complex browser permissions or user intervention for each communication attempt, the credential provider autonomously handles the credential lifecycle, enabling the web application to maintain its platform portability while gaining enhanced network communication capabilities through automated credential management.
Data Source
AI summary
A server application can serve a web application to a client device as a client web application from a web application host. The server application can be a secure HTTPS website. The web application on the client device can provide a token over a local network using a HTTP request to a target device on the local network. The token is associated with a secure area of a remote repository. Having received the one or more tokens, the target device can indicate that a link has been established to the secure area by writing to or reading from the secure area as the server application informs the client web application executing in a browser at a client device of the read/write. The target device and client web application can then communicate via the secure area, for example, to store or retrieve data associated with a user.