Intra-Application Firewall for Mobile App Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile computing device applications face security threats due to public accessibility of components, allowing malicious applications to inject forged or malicious messages, compromising user privacy and data security through message-based interprocess communication.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an intra-application firewall by scanning communication interfaces, renaming and restricting public access features, and adding a security wrapper to control access via security rules, analyzing invocation messages, and detecting malicious code to enforce firewall implementation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If public access features are provided for application components to enable seamless communication and functionality reuse, then application versatility and ease of operation are improved, but security vulnerability increases allowing malicious message injection
Solution Approach 1:
An intra-application firewall is introduced as an intermediary component between application components and the message passing system. The firewall monitors, filters, and controls inter-component communication messages, allowing legitimate functionality reuse while blocking malicious message injection. The firewall acts as a security gateway that preserves application versatility while eliminating security vulnerabilities associated with public access.
2Ease of operation
If communication interfaces are made accessible for interprocess communication, then application communication capability is improved, but susceptibility to malicious code injection increases
Solution Approach 1:
Security measures are implemented in advance through the intra-application firewall before messages are processed by application components. The firewall performs preliminary scanning, validation, and filtering of communication interfaces and messages, establishing security controls proactively rather than reactively. This preliminary security action prevents malicious code injection while maintaining communication capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If components are divided and made publicly accessible for message passing, then application modularity and functionality reuse are improved, but attack surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intra-application firewall implements localized security controls at each communication interface and component boundary within the application. Rather than applying a single global security measure, the firewall tailors security rules to specific components and communication paths, allowing functionality reuse while minimizing the overall attack surface by securing each local interaction point.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more communication interfaces of a first application may be scanned. In response to the scanning, it may be determined that at least a first component of the first application is subject to public access from any application. One or more public access features associated with the first component may be removed, wherein the first component is no longer subject to public access from any application. A first module may be added to the first application to control access to data to or from the first component via one or more security rules.