Dynamic Context Attestation for Secure Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional role-based access control (RBAC) techniques are vulnerable to attacks such as password theft and session hijacking, necessitating improved access control methods.
Innovation Solution
Implementing policy-based dynamic context evaluation using context attestation servers and enforcement servers to generate and compare attestation identifiers based on dynamically determined context attributes, ensuring secure access control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If role-based access control (RBAC) techniques are used to restrict access based on user roles, then access control is simplified and ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to vulnerability to password theft and session hijacking attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from static RBAC to dynamic context-based access control. Instead of fixed role assignments, the system dynamically evaluates multiple context attributes (device state, network conditions, user behavior patterns, location) to generate contextual access decisions. This dynamic evaluation continuously adapts to changing conditions, making the system both more secure against static attacks and adaptable to operational needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters used for access control from simple role identifiers to multiple contextual parameters including device attributes, network characteristics, temporal information, and user behavior metrics. By evaluating changes in these parameters over time and comparing them against baseline profiles, the system detects anomalies and adjusts access decisions accordingly, thereby improving security while maintaining operational flexibility.
2Reliability
If dynamic context evaluation is implemented to improve security, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple evaluation steps and context attributes
Solution Approach 1:
The complex access control system is segmented into distinct functional components: context data collection modules, context evaluation engines, baseline profile generators, anomaly detection systems, and access decision makers. Each component handles a specific aspect of the evaluation process, working independently but coordinating through standardized interfaces. This modular segmentation reduces overall system complexity by making each component manageable and independently optimizable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces context evaluation engines as intermediary components that mediate between raw context data and access control decisions. These engines aggregate multiple context attributes, perform evaluations against policies, and generate simplified access recommendations. By inserting these intermediary evaluation layers, the system manages complexity through staged processing rather than requiring a single complex decision-making component.
3Reliability
If multiple context attributes are evaluated dynamically, then security is improved by detecting anomalies, but loss of time increases due to additional evaluation steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously collecting and pre-processing context attributes in the background, maintaining up-to-date context profiles before access requests occur. Baseline user behavior patterns and device characteristics are established in advance through continuous monitoring. When an access request arrives, the system compares against pre-computed baselines rather than performing full evaluations from scratch, significantly reducing decision time while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system maintains continuous collection and evaluation of context attributes, ensuring that access decisions are always based on the most current information without requiring interruptive data gathering. Context data streams flow continuously, allowing the system to rapidly respond to access requests with up-to-date contextual information. This continuous operation eliminates gaps in monitoring and reduces latency in access decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are provided for access control using policy-based dynamic context evaluation. One method comprises obtaining an access request comprising a first attestation identifier that is based on an evaluation of a first set of context attributes, associated with the request and identified by evaluating a context policy. In response to obtaining the request: a second set of context attributes for evaluating the first attestation identifier may be dynamically determined by evaluating the context policy. Values for the second set of context attributes may be obtained to generate a second attestation identifier. The first attestation identifier and the second attestation identifier may be compared and access to the resource may be controlled based on a result of the comparison. The first attestation identifier may be generated by a context attestor and the comparison may be performed by a context enforcer.