Edge Request Duplication for Non-Disruptive Security Validation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security testing methods for edge networks are time-consuming and difficult to implement, often leading to improper validation of incoming requests, which can result in websites failing to respond properly to qualified or unqualified requests, and there is a lack of efficient tools to test complex instructions before deployment.
Innovation Solution
An infrastructure service in the edge network duplicates and modifies request messages, sending both original and modified requests to servers to verify the server's response, creating a security report based on the comparison of responses to identify improper configurations or failures in validation processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional security testing methods are used to validate server instructions and configurations, then security validation can be achieved, but the testing process becomes time-consuming and complex to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs security validation by sending test requests before actual deployment or during low-traffic periods. The infrastructure service proactively validates server instructions and configurations in advance, identifying issues before they impact production security. This preliminary action allows security testing to be completed without disrupting normal operations or consuming excessive time during critical periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates modified copies of original test requests with altered header information (such as modified cookies or authentication tokens) to validate server behavior under different conditions. By copying and modifying requests rather than creating entirely new test cases, the system efficiently validates security configurations across multiple scenarios without proportionally increasing testing time or complexity.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive security testing is performed to validate complex instructions, then proper validation can be achieved, but the testing becomes difficult to implement and may fail to detect configuration errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security validation process into distinct components: original request generation, modified request creation (with altered headers), server response reception, and response comparison. This segmentation allows each aspect of validation to be independently tested and managed, reducing overall testing complexity while maintaining comprehensive validation accuracy for complex instructions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by comparing server responses to original and modified requests. The infrastructure service analyzes response differences to identify configuration errors or improper validation behavior. This feedback loop enables automatic detection of security issues without requiring manual analysis, reducing testing complexity while improving validation accuracy through systematic response comparison.
3Reliability
If security testing is performed frequently to ensure proper response validation, then security resilience can be improved, but network service may be interrupted or degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs security validation periodically or at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. The infrastructure service can configure validation frequency to occur during low-traffic periods or at predetermined intervals, maintaining security resilience through regular testing while minimizing impact on network service productivity. This periodic approach ensures security is validated frequently enough to detect issues without constantly interrupting normal traffic flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial validation by selecting specific requests or traffic patterns for testing rather than validating all network traffic. The infrastructure service can choose to validate a representative subset of requests or focus on critical security scenarios, achieving adequate security resilience without the overhead of comprehensive continuous validation that would degrade network service productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed herein that enable an infrastructure service to implement security verification without significantly interrupting end user network traffic. The infrastructure service copies request messages and modifies a portion of the header information of the request message. Both the original message and the modified message are then sent for fulfillment. The infrastructure service compares the responses in order to create a security test report.