Dynamic Security Group Updates for Least-Privilege 5G Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network security tools struggle to enforce least privilege access in dynamic and complex 5G wireless networks, particularly when non-native traffic routing masks true traffic source labels, leading to difficulties in maintaining secure communications as user groups scale up or down.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an automated process for IP-based filtering using prefix lists and security controls that update in real-time with network function scaling, involving message queues, notification services, and workers to manage IP addresses dynamically, ensuring least privilege access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual IP planning and preassigned security groups are used, then network security coordination is established, but maintenance work increases and becomes unwieldy at scale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic security group management where IP addresses and security group memberships are automatically updated in real-time as network functions scale. Instead of static preplanned IP assignments, the system continuously synchronizes security configurations with actual network state through event-driven updates, eliminating the need for manual maintenance while preserving security coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service security management through automated processes that monitor network function instances and automatically update security group configurations. The synchronization mechanism allows the network infrastructure to self-manage security assignments without human intervention, adding or removing IP addresses from security groups based on real-time network state changes.
2Reliability
If preplanned IP assignments are used, then security trust relationships are established, but changes require updates to impacted deployments which become unwieldy at scale
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static preplanned IP assignments with dynamic security group memberships that automatically adapt to network changes. Security trust relationships are maintained through real-time synchronization where security group configurations are continuously updated to reflect current network function instances, eliminating the complexity of coordinating changes across deployments while preserving trust relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where security configurations are continuously monitored and automatically adjusted based on network state changes. Event-driven architecture ensures that security group updates are triggered by actual network events, creating a closed-loop system that maintains security trust relationships without requiring manual coordination of changes.
3Reliability
If cloud service providers offer security suites for least privilege access, then security assistance is provided, but implementation becomes difficult when user groups grow and shrink regularly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic least privilege access where security group memberships are automatically updated in real-time as network functions scale up or down. Instead of static security assignments that become difficult to manage with changing user groups, the system continuously synchronizes security configurations with actual network state, automatically granting or revoking access rights as instances are created or terminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service least privilege management through automated processes that monitor network function instances and automatically update security group configurations. The synchronization mechanism allows security assignments to self-adjust based on real-time network state changes, eliminating the difficulty of manually managing least privilege access in dynamic environments.
4Reliability
If automated processes are implemented for real-time security updates, then least privilege access is maintained during scaling, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security management system into independent, loosely-coupled components: event sources that generate security events, message queues that transport events, workers that process events, and security group managers that apply updates. This segmentation allows each component to be developed, deployed, and maintained independently, reducing overall system complexity while enabling automated real-time security updates during scaling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces message queues as intermediaries between event sources and security group managers. These queues decouple the production of security events from their processing, allowing the system to handle scaling operations asynchronously without requiring complex real-time coordination. The intermediary layer simplifies the automation architecture by providing buffer and coordination mechanisms.
Data Source
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AI summary
IP prefix lists are used as a source for filtering with near real-time updates to prefix lists associated with particular network functions. Network functions are deployed with one or more prefix lists based on communication need, a messaging queue for receiving work to updates for the prefix list, a maintenance worker, and a notification service. When a network function expands or contracts and has a change in IP scope, the listening network functions are alerted. When the event is detected, a message is transmitted by the network function's notification service. Listener queues subscribed to the upstream network function receive the change notification and invoke the maintenance worker to update the prefix list based on the message. The invoked process digests the message and adjusts the prefix list for the listening load balancer accordingly, resulting in adding or removing permitted traffic flow.