Identity Management System Automated Password Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face challenges in managing multiple passwords across different applications and devices, leading to security exposure and difficulties in authenticating after password changes, as password updates are not consistently synced across various client devices.

Innovation Solution

An identity management system detects password changes and configures multiple client devices to use the updated password, utilizing an automated process that generates unique, secure passwords and ensures synchronization across all devices, thereby enhancing security and convenience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users use the same password or easy-to-remember passwords across multiple applications, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to increased security exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of remembering passwordsVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments password management by device, creating device-specific password caches. Each client device maintains its own cached credentials separately, allowing users to have different passwords for different devices while maintaining ease of automatic authentication on each device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The identity management system acts as an intermediary between the user and multiple applications. It centrally manages password changes and automatically propagates them to relevant client devices, eliminating the need for users to manually update passwords across multiple applications while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If users cache username and password information locally on client devices, then ease of operation is improved for automatic entry, but device complexity is worsened due to synchronization requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic password entryVSAvoidpassword synchronization

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service password synchronization where client devices automatically receive and update password changes from the identity management system without requiring user intervention. The devices self-configure to use updated credentials when changes are propagated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The identity management system implements feedback mechanisms to track which devices have cached credentials for each application. When a password change occurs, the system identifies affected devices and automatically pushes updates only to those specific devices, reducing unnecessary synchronization complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If users manually update passwords on each client device after a password change, then security is improved through updated credentials, but loss of time is worsened due to manual updates required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassword update timelinessVSAvoidtime for manual password updates

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by maintaining a registry of which client devices have cached credentials for each application before password changes occur. When a password change is detected, the system automatically propagates the update to the pre-identified affected devices, eliminating the need for users to manually update each device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical manual process of updating passwords on each device with an automated electronic propagation mechanism. The identity management system electronically pushes password changes to client devices, substituting manual user actions with automated system operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If the system automatically propagates password changes to all client devices, then security is improved through consistent credentials, but device complexity is worsened due to synchronization infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassword consistency across devicesVSAvoidsynchronization infrastructure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by implementing password caching and synchronization specific to each client device's needs. Not all devices receive all password updates - only devices that have actually cached credentials for the affected application receive updates, reducing unnecessary synchronization overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10762191B2Automated password generation and change

Publication Date: 2020.09.01 OKTA INC

AI summary

An identity management system detects the occurrence of a trigger event, such as a time period expiration, or an action on the identity management system. The identity management system accordingly generates a new password for an account of a user on a third-party service and causes the account of the user on the third-party service to use the new password. The identity management system can also detect a manual user change of a password for a third-party service and cause configuration of client devices of the user to reflect the new password.