DNS Resolver Client Identity Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing DNS systems lack effective mechanisms to control access to network resources based on client identity, leading to potential unauthorized access and lack of granular access management within networks.
Innovation Solution
A DNS-like address resolver system that authenticates client devices using hardware or user identifiers, maintains a database of authorized clients for specific hosts, and enforces access policies by determining the appropriate network address response based on client authentication, thereby controlling access and tracking user interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional DNS systems are used without client identity verification, then network accessibility and ease of operation are maintained, but access control security and authorization management deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication of client identity before providing DNS resolution services. The address resolver verifies client credentials and authorization status in advance, establishing access control policies before actual network operations occur. This ensures that only authenticated clients receive appropriate DNS responses, thereby improving security without significantly impacting ease of operation for authorized users.
2Reliability
If client authentication and access control policies are implemented, then access control security is improved, but system complexity and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The address resolver is designed to perform multiple functions: standard DNS resolution for authorized clients, authentication verification, access control policy enforcement, and conditional response generation. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional system rather than separate components, the patent reduces overall system complexity while maintaining robust access control security.
3Reliability
If granular access control based on client identity is implemented, then access control security and authorization management are improved, but processing time and loss of time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes access control policies and authorization rules in the address resolver before DNS queries occur. Client identities and their associated permissions are pre-validated and cached, allowing the resolver to quickly match incoming DNS requests against pre-computed authorization data. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces processing time for each individual query while maintaining granular access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The address resolver creates and maintains copies of client authorization data and access control policies in local memory or cache. Instead of repeatedly querying external authentication services for each DNS request, the system uses these pre-fetched copies to rapidly determine appropriate responses, thereby minimizing processing time while enforcing detailed authorization management.
Data Source
AI summary
An address resolver such as a DNS service may use the identity of a requesting client device to determine a response of a network address for a hostname in a request. A requesting client device may transmit a hardware or user identifier to an address resolving server in order to authenticate the client. The server may determine if the requesting client is authorized to have access to the requested hostname, and respond with the network address when the client is authorized. The address resolver may be used to limit access for users to various devices or hosts across a network and in some cases may track which users are accessing which hosts.