Dynamic API Gateway Relocation for Cellular Network Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
The use of fixed API gateways in cellular communication networks presents a security vulnerability as hackers can acquire valuable insights through persistent probing, potentially leading to unauthorized access to core cellular network equipment, even with traffic encryption.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dynamic API management system that hosts APIs at different locations within the network, shifting them between network nodes and using a floater application to create secure tunnels, thereby enhancing security and meeting varying client equipment needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed API gateway is used to host cellular network APIs, then technical implementation is straightforward and client equipment can access APIs at any time, but security vulnerability increases as hackers can acquire valuable insights through persistent probing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic API gateway deployment by shifting API gateways between different network nodes based on client equipment location and network conditions. Instead of a static fixed gateway, the system continuously relocates API gateways to edge nodes closer to client equipment, making the gateway position dynamic and adaptive. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining implementation simplicity through automated orchestration while improving security through frequent position changes that prevent persistent probing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an API manager as an intermediary component that orchestrates between client equipment and core network functions. The API manager dynamically selects and configures API gateways at appropriate network nodes, acting as a mediator that simplifies client access while implementing security policies. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of dynamic gateway selection, maintaining ease of implementation while enhancing security through controlled access patterns.
2Reliability
If a fixed API gateway is used with traffic encryption, then data transmission is protected, but hackers can still acquire valuable insights through persistent probing over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic relocation of API gateways between network nodes. Instead of maintaining a static gateway position, the system periodically shifts gateway locations based on time intervals, client equipment movement, and network conditions. This periodic action reduces the time window available for persistent probing attacks while maintaining encrypted transmission, thus resolving the contradiction between transmission security and exposure time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes the API gateway position dynamic by continuously relocating it to different edge network nodes. This dynamic positioning reduces the temporal exposure to any single gateway location, limiting the effectiveness of persistent probing attacks. The combination of dynamic relocation and encryption maintains data transmission security while minimizing the time hackers have to gather insights.
3Ease of operation
If APIs are hosted at a single fixed location, then access is consistent and simple, but the impact of compromised gateways affects more devices for longer duration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the API gateway functionality across multiple network nodes instead of concentrating it at a single fixed location. Each network node can host API gateway instances independently, creating distributed segments. This segmentation maintains access consistency through load balancing and failover mechanisms while limiting the impact of compromise to only the affected segment, thus resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and attack impact scope.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by placing API gateway instances at specific network nodes closest to client equipment. Each location has optimized characteristics for serving local clients, and compromise at one location only affects local clients rather than all users. This localizes the impact of security incidents while maintaining consistent access quality through distributed architecture.
4Device complexity
If a fixed API gateway is used, then infrastructure complexity is low, but security isolation and attack limitation capabilities are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated API gateway orchestration and relocation. The API manager automatically selects appropriate network nodes, configures gateway instances, and manages client redirection without manual intervention. This automation handles the increased infrastructure complexity, allowing the system to achieve enhanced security isolation through distributed architecture while maintaining operational simplicity through self-managing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of gateway location from fixed to dynamic based on multiple factors including client equipment location, network load, and security considerations. This parameter change enables security isolation by distributing gateways across multiple nodes, limiting attack impact scope. The complexity introduced by this dynamic parameter management is handled through automated orchestration, resolving the contradiction between infrastructure complexity and security isolation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The described technology is generally directed towards communication network application programming interface (API) promulgation. Using the techniques herein, APIs can be hosted at different locations within a network in a transitory manner, shifting from one location to the next. Furthermore, API configurations can change over time, in order to provide enhanced API security and/or to meet different expected needs of client equipment. An API manager can select network equipment to host APIs, in order to move the APIs between different network locations. A floater application within the core network can support the movement of the APIs by creating secure tunnels between the selected network equipment and the core network.