Frontend Service Wrapper for Multi-Scheme Authentication Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computing environments with multiple services using different authentication schemes, converting all services to a new authentication scheme simultaneously is impractical due to design and cost considerations, making it challenging to manage access to computing resources securely.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a frontend service that uses a single authentication scheme to interact with backend services, which may use incompatible schemes, by generating a 'wrapper authentication credential' that encapsulates the required credentials for each backend service, allowing the frontend service to adapt authentication credentials as needed to ensure secure access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all services are converted to use a new authentication scheme simultaneously, then security is improved, but implementation complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a frontend service as an intermediary layer between clients and backend services. This frontend service handles authentication using a unified scheme and adapts credentials when communicating with backend services that use different authentication schemes. This mediator approach allows the system to maintain security improvements while avoiding the complexity of converting all services simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the authentication system into distinct layers: a frontend service layer that handles unified authentication, and backend service layers that can maintain their existing authentication schemes. This segmentation allows gradual migration and coexistence of multiple authentication schemes without requiring complete system redesign.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple authentication schemes are supported across services, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frontend service acts as an intermediary that consolidates authentication logic. Instead of each backend service implementing multiple authentication schemes, the frontend service adapts credentials to match the required authentication scheme of each backend service, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses credential adaptation where the frontend service modifies authentication parameters (credential format, type, and properties) based on the requirements of different backend services. This parameter transformation approach enables support for multiple authentication schemes without requiring each service to implement all schemes.
3Ease of operation
If a unified authentication scheme is used across all services, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to existing diverse services decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The frontend service serves as a translator or mediator that receives unified authentication credentials and adapts them to the specific authentication schemes required by different backend services. This allows clients to use a single authentication method while maintaining compatibility with diverse existing services.
Solution Approach 2:
The frontend service implements multi-functionality by supporting multiple authentication schemes internally while presenting a unified authentication interface to clients. This universal approach allows the system to accommodate various authentication methods without requiring clients to handle multiple schemes directly.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method are provided to allow access to one or more computing resources using a single authentication scheme even though some of the computing resources may support different authentication schemes. In various embodiments, upon receiving a user request to access one or more computing resources, a first authentication credential according to a first authentication scheme is generated subsequent to successful authentication of the user. If processing of the request requires a second authentication credential according to a second authentication scheme, the second credential may be encapsulated in the first authentication credential and later extracted and combined with additional information, if necessary, for providing the requested access to the one or more computing resources.