Gateway-Mediated Access Control Without Password Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pairing a mobile device with resources such as speakers or accessing a network at a premises can be difficult, often requiring the disclosure of sensitive information like passwords, which users may not want to share with visitors.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that uses a native mobile device and gateway device to determine if a foreign mobile device is trusted by checking its MAC address against a contact list or data store, allowing access to resources or networks without manual pairing and minimizing the need for password sharing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual pairing or password sharing is required for device access, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a gateway device as an intermediary that mediates between the visitor's mobile device and the host's network resources. The gateway receives device identifiers from visitors, checks them against authorized lists, and manages connections without requiring direct password sharing between user and visitor, thus maintaining security while simplifying the access process
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service access control where the gateway device automatically performs authentication by checking device identifiers against pre-configured authorized lists. This eliminates the need for manual password verification by the host, allowing visitors to access resources independently while maintaining security through automated credential validation
2Ease of operation
If device pairing protocols are simplified for ease of use, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential security risks
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device serves as a security intermediary that performs background verification of device identifiers against authorized lists. This allows the system to use simple pairing protocols (improving ease of operation) while the gateway maintains security by filtering and validating connections before they reach the host's resources
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary security checks by maintaining pre-configured lists of authorized device identifiers in the gateway. Before allowing any device to access resources, the gateway checks the device's identifier against these pre-prepared authorization lists, ensuring security is established in advance rather than during the actual connection process
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for managing access control. An example method may comprise receiving an address associated with a user device. An identifier may be determined based on the address. Based on the identifier, the user device may be determined to be associated with a trusted user. Based on the determination that the user device is associated with the trusted user, the user device may be granted access to a trusted network service.