Hypervisor-Based Secure Remote Worker Traffic Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for remote work data security, such as VPNs and SDWAN, are limited in managing network traffic, lack central management, and are costly, with VPNs overloading systems and not inspecting data for malware, while home Wi-Fi networks pose security risks due to unsecured connections.
Innovation Solution
A secure remote worker (SRW) application executing in a user's computing device hypervisor analyzes network traffic, performs security analysis with a centralized security appliance, and is remotely managed to ensure secure, efficient routing and data inspection, reducing costs by centralizing security management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If VPN software is installed to create secure tunnel, then data security is improved, but remote access system becomes overloaded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and filters out only the necessary corporate data traffic from all user internet traffic, sending only the filtered relevant traffic through the secure tunnel to the remote access system. This prevents the system from being overwhelmed by all user traffic while maintaining security for corporate communications.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of securing all traffic through the VPN tunnel (excessive action), the system applies security selectively only to traffic destined for corporate resources (partial action). This reduces the burden on the remote access system while maintaining adequate security for corporate data.
2Reliability
If VPN software is installed to create secure tunnel, then data security is improved, but malware detection capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary inspection of data traffic before it enters the secure tunnel, analyzing packets for malware and suspicious content. This proactive security measure detects and blocks threats before they can compromise the corporate network, going beyond traditional VPN tunneling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary security appliance between the user device and the remote access system that inspects traffic for malware. This intermediary layer provides advanced threat protection without requiring changes to the core VPN infrastructure.
3Productivity
If SDWAN solution is deployed for network management, then network efficiency is improved, but device cost and complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the user's existing personal computing device perform multiple functions: it acts as both the end-user workstation and the network traffic management appliance. The device inspects, routes, and secures its own traffic without requiring separate SDWAN hardware, reducing overall system complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device autonomously manages its own network traffic by implementing traffic inspection, classification, and routing functions locally. This self-service capability eliminates the need for external management appliances while maintaining network efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure remote worker (SRW) application that executes in a hypervisor of a user's personal computing device to analyze data and determine if the data is destined for a corporate remote access system or other location. The SRW may perform a security analysis of the data to determine if the data itself or a location associated with the data is known malware. The SRW may be remotely managed to enable and configured.