Dynamic Key Pair Authentication for Multi-Tier Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-tiered computing environments face inefficiencies in inter-program authentication due to the need for secure password storage and management, which is cumbersome and costly, and often insecure when user IDs and passwords are centralized.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamically-generated public/private key pairs for authentication between programs, eliminating the need for secure password storage and management by using short-lived key pairs that do not require user or administrator input, and allowing for seamless authentication across multiple tiers without centralizing sensitive information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If secure passwords are stored centrally for authentication between programs, then authentication can be performed, but administrative overhead increases and security deteriorates due to centralized storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication credentials from centralized storage and distributes them as individual public keys to each program. Each program stores only its own public key locally, eliminating the need for a centralized password storage system and reducing administrative overhead while maintaining security through cryptographic authentication.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing a single centralized password that must be synchronized across all programs, the system creates and distributes copies of public keys to each program. Each program receives a copy of the relevant public key and stores it locally, allowing independent authentication without centralized management.
2Ease of operation
If user IDs and passwords are centralized for multi-tier authentication, then authentication can be managed, but system complexity increases due to synchronization requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication management function from centralized control and distributes it to individual programs. Each program manages its own authentication using locally stored public keys, eliminating the need for centralized synchronization mechanisms and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Each program performs self-authentication using its own stored public key and the public keys of other programs. The system eliminates the need for centralized authentication management and synchronization, allowing programs to autonomously handle authentication tasks.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If long-term storage of secure keys is implemented, then authentication can be maintained, but security decreases due to increased exposure time to potential breaches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic key generation where new public/private key pairs are created on-demand for each authentication transaction. Instead of storing long-term secure keys, the system generates temporary keys that are used for a single authentication event and then discarded, reducing the time window for potential security breaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses disposable, short-lived key pairs that are generated fresh for each authentication transaction. These temporary keys are inexpensive to generate and immediately discarded after use, eliminating the need for long-term key storage and reducing security risks associated with persistent key exposure.
Data Source
AI summary
In a multi-tiered computing environment, a first program may authenticate with a second program using dynamically-generated public/private key pairs. An authentication token is constructed that includes user information and information about the first program and the second program. The first program then digitally signs the authentication token using the dynamically-generated private key, and sends the authentication token to the second program. The second program then verifies the authentication token using the public key corresponding to the first program. Once verified, the first program is authenticated to the second program. The second program may then authenticate to a next-tier program by constructing an authentication token that includes the information in the authentication token received from the first program. This may continue to any suitable number of tiers, using dynamically-generated public/private key pairs to allow authentication between programs without requiring any user interaction or input from a system administrator.