Distributed Directory Caching for Secure Resource Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized storage of directory data in security services increases the attack surface, leads to inefficiencies, and requires management of multiple privileged accounts, causing performance issues and unreliability in large computing networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing distributed directory caching techniques where directory data is cached locally on client devices, eliminating the need for centralized storage and reducing the requirement for privileged accounts, with optional use of digital signatures or encryption for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If directory data is stored centrally in a security service, then security management is simplified, but the attack surface increases and system reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized directory data storage into distributed client-side caches. Each client device maintains its own local directory data cache, eliminating the single point of failure and reducing the attack surface. The security service no longer holds all directory data centrally, but rather verifies credentials against distributed local caches across multiple clients.
2Stability of the object's composition
If directory data is stored centrally in a security service, then data consistency is maintained, but performance efficiency deteriorates due to network dependencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-caching directory data locally on each client device before it is needed for authentication. Clients retrieve and store directory data in advance, so that when resource access is requested, the security service can verify credentials using local cached data without network delays, significantly improving performance while maintaining data consistency through periodic updates.
3Ease of operation
If centralized directory data storage is used, then security policy enforcement is simplified, but system reliability decreases due to single point of failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized security infrastructure into distributed client-side authentication capabilities. Each client device with a local directory data cache can independently verify credentials and enforce security policies without requiring continuous connection to the central security service, eliminating the single point of failure and improving system reliability while maintaining policy enforcement through local verification logic.
4Reliability
If multiple privileged accounts are managed for security service access, then directory service functionality is ensured, but account management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the need for multiple privileged accounts by enabling unprivileged client devices to cache and verify directory data locally. Instead of requiring the security service to manage multiple privileged accounts for different clients, each client independently caches its own directory data and uses it for self-verification, eliminating the complexity of privileged account management while maintaining directory service functionality.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for secure and efficient resource access using distributed directory caching techniques. Techniques include obtaining, from a directory service, client directory data associated with a client; providing the client directory data to a computing device associated with the client for caching on the computing device; identifying a request from the client; receiving, from the computing device, the client directory data that was cached on the computing device; and evaluating the request based on the received client directory data.