Domain Name Change Key Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current domain name security systems are vulnerable to hijacking due to reliance on single recipient authentication and long-term storage of change keys, which can be exploited by malicious attackers.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that divides change keys among multiple recipients and generates temporary, time-based authentication codes, ensuring that only a predetermined percentage of recipients must authenticate to reassemble the key for domain name updates, and eliminating long-term storage of change keys by generating new codes upon request.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If change keys are sent to a single recipient for domain name authentication, then the authentication process is simple and fast, but the system becomes vulnerable to hijacking and unauthorized changes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedomain name securityVSAvoidauthentication process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The change key is divided into multiple segments and distributed to different recipients. Each recipient holds a portion of the key, and a threshold number of recipients must collaborate to reconstruct the full key. This segmentation prevents single-point compromise while maintaining controlled access complexity through structured distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts authentication requirements based on the domain owner's preferences, allowing flexible configuration of recipient numbers and threshold values. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt security levels without fixed complexity, resolving the contradiction between security and operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If change keys are stored long-term for future authentication, then authentication is convenient for users, but the stored keys can be exploited by malicious attackers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity against exploitationVSAvoidkey generation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system generates disposable, short-lived authentication keys that expire after a single use or after a brief time period. These ephemeral keys are discarded after use, preventing long-term storage and exploitation. The rapid regeneration of new keys ensures that even if one key is compromised, the window for exploitation is minimal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Authentication keys are periodically regenerated and rotated rather than stored indefinitely. This periodic renewal limits the temporal window during which any key could be exploited, while the automated periodic generation maintains convenience for users who receive fresh keys on schedule.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If change keys are sent to multiple recipients, then security against single-point compromise is improved, but the authentication process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresistance to single-point compromiseVSAvoidauthentication operation ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system requires only a threshold number of recipients (partial action) rather than all recipients to authenticate, making the process more manageable. This partial requirement balances security through multiple recipients with operational ease by not mandating unanimous participation, resolving the contradiction between security and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Ease of operation

If authentication codes are valid for extended periods, then users have more time to complete authentication, but the window for potential hijacking increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication time windowVSAvoidhijacking risk window

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses rapid key generation and distribution to quickly establish authentication credentials, then rapidly expires them after use. This rushing through the authentication process with short-lived keys minimizes the hijacking risk window while ensuring users have sufficient time to complete authentication before expiry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentUS9479495B2Sending authentication codes to multiple recipients

Publication Date: 2016.10.25 GO DADDY OPERATING CO LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods of the present invention provide for one or more server computers communicatively coupled to a network and configured to: receive a request for the change key; generate the change key; separate the change key into a plurality of divisions; transmit each of the plurality of divisions to a designated contact; determine whether the plurality of divisions is received by the server computer; and if so, combine the plurality of divisions into the change key; and update the domain name.