Cross-Application Inactivity Timer Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for managing access to multiple applications on a computing device do not effectively account for user activity across multiple applications, leading to potential unauthorized access due to inconsistent inactivity timers and lack of authentication mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A method where applications on a computing device share and verify timestamps of user activity to synchronize inactivity timers, using digital signatures to ensure authenticity and prevent replay attacks, allowing group-level monitoring and secure access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If applications use independent inactivity timers, then each application can independently manage its own security, but user activity in one application does not reset timers in other applications leading to potential unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges independent application-level inactivity timers into a unified device-level inactivity timer system. The timestamp sharing mechanism allows all applications to participate in a common inactivity monitoring system, where activity in any application resets the shared timeout period, preventing unauthorized access while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The device-level inactivity timer serves multiple applications simultaneously through the timestamp sharing mechanism. A single timer infrastructure provides security monitoring for multiple applications, eliminating the need for each application to maintain separate timer systems while ensuring consistent security policy enforcement across all applications.
2Adaptability or versatility
If applications share timestamp data without verification, then user activity can be monitored across applications, but the system becomes vulnerable to replay attacks and malicious interference
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by verifying digital signatures on timestamps before accepting them. This advance verification ensures that only authenticated applications can report user activity to other applications in the group, preventing replay attacks and malicious interference before they can compromise system security.
Solution Approach 2:
Digital signatures act as an intermediary verification mechanism between applications. The cryptographic signature system mediates the trust relationship, allowing applications to securely share timestamp data without direct trust between them, thus enabling cross-application activity monitoring while maintaining system security.
3Reliability
If applications frequently verify digital signatures, then timestamp authenticity can be confirmed, but processing overhead and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Each application generates and verifies its own digital signatures using its private key and the shared public key. This self-service approach eliminates the need for a centralized verification authority, reducing system complexity while maintaining strong authentication. The cryptographic verification process is handled automatically by the system infrastructure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for monitoring user activity in respect of a plurality of applications on a computing device. The method comprises storing, by a first application running on the computing device, a first timestamp indicating the time that user activity was last detected with respect to the first application. The first application receives a message from a second application running on the computing device. The message comprises a second timestamp indicating the time that user activity was last detected with respect to the second application. The first application updates the first timestamp based on the second timestamp when the time indicated by the second timestamp is later than the time indicated by the first timestamp. Thus, user activity across the plurality of application can be monitored, such that an inactivity timer running on a particular application in the group of applications can account for user activity with respect to the other application in the plurality.