Distributed Access Control List Processing for IoT Resilience
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Solution Overview
Problem
IoT networks face challenges in maintaining operational integrity and security when central servers fail or are unavailable, particularly in survivable conditions such as building damage, due to the complexity and resource constraints of existing access control mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The system simplifies access control policies for IoT devices by distributing and localizing access control decision-making, using device-specific access control lists (ACLs) that can be stored locally or remotely, allowing for resilient and scalable security operations, and dynamically provisioning ACLs to optimize resource usage and minimize latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access control decisions are centralized on a central server, then security policy enforcement is unified and consistent, but the system fails when the central server is unavailable and experiences high latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized access control system into distributed access control nodes that can independently evaluate access requests. Each node stores local access control policies and can make autonomous access decisions without relying on a central server, thereby eliminating the single point of failure and reducing latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-provisioning access control policies and credentials to edge devices before they need to make access decisions. This allows devices to immediately evaluate access requests using locally stored policies without needing to query a central server in real-time.
2Loss of time
If access control policies are distributed to all devices, then local processing reduces latency and improves resilience, but device resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by provisioning access control policies selectively to specific edge devices based on their roles, capabilities, and security requirements. Not all devices receive the same level of policy provisioning - only those that need local decision-making capabilities for their specific functions, thereby optimizing resource usage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by providing full local access control functionality only to critical edge devices that require autonomous operation, while less critical devices can rely on hybrid or centralized models. This partial provisioning reduces overall resource consumption across the network while maintaining resilience where needed.
3Reliability
If complex access control mechanisms are implemented to ensure security, then security enforcement is robust, but the system complexity increases and becomes difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying by distributing standardized access control policy templates to edge devices. These policies are replicated from a central authorization server to multiple edge nodes, ensuring consistent security enforcement across the distributed system while simplifying management through template-based provisioning rather than device-specific configurations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If all devices are provisioned with full access control capabilities, then every device can operate autonomously, but the provisioning overhead and initial setup complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by enabling access control capabilities to be dynamically provisioned or de-provisioned on edge devices based on runtime conditions. Devices can receive policy updates, revoke access rights, or adjust their operational mode (autonomous vs. centralized) dynamically without requiring complete re-provisioning, thereby reducing initial setup overhead while maintaining adaptability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method includes receiving a first request from a first device to access a first resource of the system and determining whether to grant access to the first resource based on a first access control list stored in the system, the first device having a first relevance value, and based on the determination, granting the access to the first resource; and receiving a second request from a second device to access a second resource of the system and forwarding the second request to an access manager service to determine whether to grant access to the second resource based on a second access control list stored in the access manager service associated with the second device, the second device having a second relevance value, receive an access grant from the access manager service and based thereon, granting the access to the second resource.