Database Security Tool Authorization Table Mediator

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Solution Overview

Problem

As databases store increasing amounts of data, maintaining security and compliance becomes challenging, especially with growing numbers of users and complex table structures, leading to potential corruption and unauthorized edits that can render databases unusable.

Innovation Solution

A database security tool with a user interface, retrieval engine, authorization engine, alert engine, and update engine that checks authorization tables to ensure only authorized users edit tables, limits data types for column entries, and automatically generates queries for bulk operations to prevent errors and maintain data integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If user access to database tables is permitted, then ease of operation is improved, but security and data integrity deteriorate due to unauthorized edits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser access to databaseVSAvoiddatabase security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an authorization table as an intermediary component between users and database tables. This authorization table stores user permissions and acts as a mediator to control access, allowing the system to maintain both ease of operation (users can access databases) and reliability (unauthorized access is blocked through the authorization check mechanism)

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If more users are allowed to edit database tables, then productivity is improved, but the risk of unauthorized edits and database corruption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenumber of users editing tablesVSAvoidunauthorized edits and database corruption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by checking user authorization against the authorization table before allowing any edit operations on database tables. This pre-verification mechanism enables multiple users to work on the database simultaneously (improving productivity) while preventing unauthorized edits (reducing harmful factors) through advance authorization validation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If traditional authorization methods are used within table structures, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision of user permissions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthorization structureVSAvoiduser permission accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by separating the authorization functionality from the data tables into a distinct authorization table. This segmentation improves measurement precision of user permissions by providing dedicated fields for storing and managing authorization information, while the overall system complexity remains manageable through this clean separation of concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10248805B2Database security tool

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

A database security tool includes a user interface, a retrieval engine, an authorization engine, an alert engine, and an update engine. The user interface receives a request to add a row to a table in a database. The retrieval engine retrieves an authorization table from the database. The authorization table is separate from the table and indicates a plurality of users who are authorized to edit the table. The authorization engine determines whether the plurality of users includes the user. The alert engine communicates an alert indicating that the user is not authorized to add the row to the table. The update engine communicates, to the database, an update request in response to a determination that the plurality of users includes the user. The row is added to the table in response to the update request.