API Gateway Short-Lived Tokens for Decentralized Microservice Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing API gateways face security lapses and resource inefficiencies due to inconsistent user experiences and redundant credential requests when permissions change or services have varying authentication criteria, leading to potential security breaches and resource duplication.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system architecture that uses short-lived authentication tokens, hybrid authentication tokens indicating user attributes and roles, and proxy authentication tokens to manage access across services with varying authentication criteria, while utilizing an API gateway to dynamically regenerate tokens based on ongoing authorization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the API gateway uses long-lived authentication tokens, then user convenience is improved by avoiding repeated credential entry, but security is worsened because authorization changes cannot be enforced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic token regeneration with short expiration periods, allowing the authentication system to adapt to changing authorization states while maintaining user convenience through automatic token renewal for authorized users
2Reliability
If the API gateway requests credentials for each service access, then security is improved by verifying current authorization, but user experience is worsened due to repeated credential entry
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary authentication at the API gateway level, obtaining user credentials once and caching authorization information, thereby avoiding repeated credential requests while maintaining security through periodic re-evaluation of authorization status
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate gateways are used for different ingress modes, then service access flexibility is improved, but resource efficiency is worsened due to duplication of authentication functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal API gateway that handles multiple ingress modes (HTTP, WebSocket, gRPC) through a single unified authentication and authorization framework, eliminating the need for separate gateways while maintaining support for diverse service access patterns
4Reliability
If authentication tokens are regenerated frequently, then security is improved by ensuring current authorization, but system performance is worsened due to increased processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic token regeneration with optimized expiration intervals, balancing security requirements with system performance by regenerating tokens at appropriate intervals rather than continuously, reducing processing overhead while maintaining authorization accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
A device includes one or more processors configured to receive an authentication request indicating credentials of a requestor. The one or more processors are also configured to determine, based on the credentials, whether the requestor is authorized. The one or more processors are further configured to, responsive to determining that the requestor is authorized, generate a first authentication token. The one or more processors are also configured to, responsive to determining that the first authentication token has expired, determine whether the requestor remains authorized based on the credentials. The one or more processors are further configured to, responsive to determining that the requestor remains authorized, generate a second authentication token.