Edge Orchestrator Privilege Checks for Secure Blueprint Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blueprints for computing devices can compromise the operation of endpoint devices by placing them in undesired states due to lack of secure privilege checking for users and authors, leading to potential unauthorized modifications and installations.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an identity and access management system to enforce privilege checking for blueprint users and authors, ensuring that only authorized individuals with sufficient privileges can create, modify, and use blueprints, using public/private key pairs for signature verification and maintaining a trusted blueprint repository.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If blueprints are made freely accessible for implementation in edge devices, then ease of operation and deployment is improved, but security and reliability deteriorate due to unauthorized access and potential malicious modifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an edge orchestrator as an intermediary component that mediates between blueprint users and the blueprint repository. The orchestrator enforces privilege checking by verifying user credentials against stored credentials in the repository, acting as a trusted mediator that enables secure access control without preventing legitimate deployment operations
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary privilege checking and validation before allowing blueprint implementation. The edge orchestrator verifies user credentials and checks privilege levels in advance of blueprint execution, preventing unauthorized access before it can compromise device reliability
2Reliability
If privilege checking mechanisms are implemented for blueprint access, then security and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases due to additional authentication and verification components
Solution Approach 1:
The edge orchestrator serves multiple functions within a single component: it manages the blueprint repository, stores credentials, performs privilege checking, and coordinates blueprint implementation. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise be separate security components into a single unified system, reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service authentication where the edge orchestrator automatically verifies user credentials against stored credentials without requiring external authentication servers. The credential verification process is handled autonomously by the orchestrator itself, eliminating the need for additional complex authentication infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for securing blueprints are disclosed. A blueprint may be secured by requiring sufficient privilege to implement the blueprint. The sufficient privilege may be obtained through an analysis of permissions of a blueprint user and the blueprint authors. An analysis of the permissions of the blueprint user and the blueprint authors may include reviewing privileges of the blueprint user and the blueprint authors. When the sufficient privilege may be found for the blueprint user and the blueprint authors, use of the blueprint may be permitted on an edge device.