Credential Repository for Cross-App Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of mobile devices face inconvenience due to the need to separately authenticate with each application to access protected resources, as applications typically maintain their own authentication information and do not share it with others, leading to redundant authentication requests.
Innovation Solution
An authentication application acts as a hub on the user device, maintaining and sharing authentication information with other applications, allowing it to provide internal authentication without requiring users to re-authenticate when accessing protected resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each application maintains its own authentication information in private repositories, then application security and data isolation are improved, but user convenience and authentication efficiency deteriorate due to redundant authentication requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a credential repository as an intermediary component that sits between applications and authentication servers. This mediator stores authentication credentials and makes them available to multiple applications without compromising security, as applications can request credentials from the repository rather than maintaining separate private storage. This resolves the contradiction by enabling shared access while maintaining security through controlled credential distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The credential repository serves multiple functions: it acts as a secure storage facility for authentication credentials, a distribution point for multiple applications, and a mechanism for reducing redundant authentication. By making the credential storage universal rather than application-specific, the system allows any authenticated application to access stored credentials without requiring separate authentication, thus improving user convenience while maintaining security through the centralized controlled access model.
2Reliability
If applications isolate stored information in private repositories, then data security is improved, but information sharing between applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The credential repository acts as a secure intermediary that enables information sharing between applications without requiring the applications to directly access each other's private repositories. The repository stores credentials securely and provides controlled access to authorized applications, thus maintaining data security while enabling necessary information sharing for authentication purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the authentication functionality by separating credential storage from application execution. Instead of having credentials embedded within or directly accessible by each application, the credentials are segmented into a separate repository that applications can query. This segmentation maintains security boundaries while enabling sharing through the structured interface provided by the repository.
3Reliability
If users authenticate separately with each application, then application-specific security control is improved, but time efficiency and productivity deteriorate due to repeated authentication
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by storing credentials in the credential repository after initial authentication. When applications need authentication information, they retrieve it from the pre-filled repository rather than requiring users to authenticate again. This preliminary action of storing credentials enables subsequent applications to access authentication information without repeated user input, thus improving time efficiency while maintaining security control through the repository's access management.
Solution Approach 2:
The credential repository enables applications to self-service authentication by automatically retrieving stored credentials without requiring user intervention. Once credentials are stored in the repository, applications can independently request and receive authentication information as needed, eliminating the need for users to manually re-authenticate with each application while preserving security through the repository's controlled distribution mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A user device stores first authentication information used to grant access to a resource associated with a first application, and configuration information relating to a second application. The user device receives an authentication request from the second application requesting second authentication information. Based on the configuration information relating to the second application, the user device determines whether the first authentication information contains some or all of the requested second authentication information. The user device generates an authentication response to the authentication request, using the first authentication information, and sends the authentication response to the second application in order to permit access to a resource associated with the second application.