IoT Configuration Access With Time-Limited Override Reversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IoT devices lack granular control over access permissions, leading to vulnerabilities as they often assume permanent ownership, which is not suitable for temporary users or scenarios like hotel guests or car rentals, where more nuanced access is required.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for controlling temporary access to configuration settings of subordinate devices in a network by establishing a configuration data access control list with a prior setting and adding a time-limited override parameter, allowing temporary overrides that automatically revert to the prior setting upon expiry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If permanent access permission is granted to configuration settings, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to lack of granular control for temporary users
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system transitions from static permanent permissions to dynamic time-limited permissions. The configuration data access control list is updated with time-limited override parameters that automatically expire, allowing the system to adapt access rights based on temporal conditions rather than maintaining fixed permission states
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of access permission from permanent to time-limited by adding temporal constraints. The configuration data access control list stores both prior settings and time-limited override parameters, where the validity of override permissions is determined by temporal parameters (start time, duration, or expiry time) rather than being indefinitely valid
2Reliability
If time-limited override parameters are added to access control list, then security is improved through automatic revocation, but device complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The access control list is segmented into distinct parameter types: prior settings and time-limited override parameters. This segmentation allows the system to maintain original configuration settings while adding temporary override capabilities without fundamentally restructuring the entire access control mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The time-limited override parameters automatically expire and revoke themselves after the specified time period elapses, eliminating the need for manual intervention to remove temporary permissions. The system self-manages the revocation process by detecting when the current time exceeds the expiry time of override parameters
Data Source
AI summary
Broadly speaking, embodiments of the present techniques provide methods and apparatus to implement a time-limited configuration settings hierarchy. The time-limited configuration settings hierarchy introduces a temporary override setting that allows a fail-back to a prior setting after the expiry of a time period. This allows temporary users of IoT devices to have much higher levels of privilege over configuration settings, as an automatic revocation of the permission and reversion to the previous settings is guaranteed on the expiry of the specified time period.