HTTP Password Mediator for Secure Remote Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Organizations face security risks and resource inefficiencies due to the need to manage and change access passwords for remote servers, as member users may misuse or reveal access information, and upon termination, require password updates to prevent unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A password mediation system that intercepts HTTP requests, determines user authorization through a mediator database, and modifies requests with access credentials without storing passwords locally, allowing authorized users to access remote servers securely without knowledge of the organization's access passwords.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If organizations share access information with member users, then users can access remote servers to carry out tasks, but security risks increase due to potential abuse or revelation of access information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a password mediator as an intermediary component that sits between the user and the remote server. The mediator intercepts HTTP requests, injects access credentials automatically, and manages authentication without exposing passwords to users. This resolves the contradiction by enabling user access while maintaining security through the intermediary's controlled credential management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the sensitive access credentials from the user environment and stores them securely in the password mediator. By separating the credential storage and management functions from the user's local system, the organization maintains control over access information while users retain operational capability. This extraction eliminates the security risk of local password exposure.
2Reliability
If organizations change access information upon user termination, then security is maintained, but additional resources and operational complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The password mediator serves as a centralized intermediary that manages all access credentials. When a user terminates, the organization simply removes or invalidates that user's credentials in the mediator's database, rather than systematically changing passwords across multiple systems. This centralized control maintains security while dramatically reducing the operational complexity of credential management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the authentication mechanism through the password mediator, which replicates the server's authentication requirements locally. This allows the organization to manage credentials centrally without affecting the actual server configuration, simplifying the process of granting and revoking access rights.
3Speed
If organizations store access passwords locally, then quick access is enabled, but security exposure increases and resource requirements for secure storage are needed
Solution Approach 1:
The password mediator acts as an intermediary authentication layer that handles credential storage and retrieval securely. Instead of storing passwords locally on user machines, the mediator intercepts requests and provides authenticated access through its secure credential management system. This maintains access speed through automated credential injection while eliminating local password exposure risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of local password storage with an automated intermediary system that manages authentication transparently. The mediator automatically intercepts, modifies, and forwards authenticated requests without requiring users to manually manage or store passwords, thereby eliminating the security vulnerabilities of local storage while maintaining rapid access.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for password mediation including receiving, within an operating system network stack of a client device, a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request message issued by a client application executing on the client device, the HTTP request message indicating an operation to be performed for a user of the client application at a destination system; requesting, by the client device, security information for the user with respect to the destination system; modifying, by the client device, the received HTTP request message to include the security information; and sending, by the client device, the modified HTTP request message to the destination system.