Endpoint Reimaging With Vaulted Root Credentials

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing endpoint devices face challenges in securely managing credentials and ensuring immutability, particularly in scenarios where administrative privileges are granted, as root passwords can be misused or compromised, leading to security breaches and the need for reimaging.

Innovation Solution

A system is implemented that generates a random root credential, vaults it in a secure store, and controls access through a centralized management tool, ensuring that endpoint devices are automatically reimaged upon privileged access, thereby reducing the risk of malicious use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If root passwords are stored securely in a vault, then security is improved, but access control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidaccess control complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A centralized management tool acts as an intermediary between operators and root credentials. The tool automatically retrieves credentials from the secure vault, injects them into the endpoint device, and manages the credential lifecycle without requiring operators to directly access or manage the vault itself, thus maintaining security while simplifying access control operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements automated credential management where the centralized management tool self-service retrieves credentials from the vault, manages injection into endpoint devices, and handles credential rotation without requiring manual intervention for each credential operation, reducing operational complexity while maintaining secure access control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If automated reimaging is implemented upon privileged access, then security is improved, but device operational time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddevice operational time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Runtime images are pre-configured and prepared in advance with all necessary operating system components, applications, and security configurations. When automated reimaging is triggered upon privileged access, the pre-prepared images enable rapid deployment, minimizing the actual downtime of the endpoint device while ensuring security updates are applied

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The automated reimaging process skips manual configuration steps by using pre-configured runtime images that contain all necessary settings, applications, and security policies. The system rapidly deploys these images and automatically restores service, rushing through the reimaging process to minimize operational disruption while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Stability of the object's composition

If human interaction with endpoint devices is limited, then immutability is improved, but operational flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveimmutabilityVSAvoidoperational flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized management tool serves as an intermediary that enables operational flexibility without compromising immutability. It provides controlled access mechanisms for legitimate operational needs while preventing direct human interaction that could alter device configuration, thus maintaining system stability while allowing necessary operations through authenticated, audited channels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Reliability

If root credentials are randomly generated and vaulted, then security is improved, but credential management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcredential management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The centralized management tool implements self-service credential management by automatically generating random root credentials, vaulting them in the secure credential repository, and retrieving them when needed for endpoint device operations. This automation eliminates manual credential handling while maintaining security, reducing operational complexity despite the sophisticated security measures employed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260064818A1Reimaging endpoint devices, and securely managing credentials for the same

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 TARGET BRANDS INC

AI summary

In some implementations, a system for securely and automatically provisioning endpoint devices includes an administrative API that generates a token, an OS image repository that stores and makes available over a network an image of an operating system (“OS”) that includes the token, a central endpoint manager that provides the OS, a secure credential repository that securely maintain credentials, and an endpoint device. The endpoint device includes a current OS image and read-only boot code. The read-only boot code obtains and installs a new OS image from the OS image repository, generates a new password and a new fingerprint for the new OS image, and transmits new OS installation data for the endpoint device to the administrative API. The administrative API validates the new OS installation data and performs a write-only operation to store the new password in the secure credential repository.