M2M Privacy Brokered Transactions via Intermediary Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current machine-to-machine (M2M) communication systems face challenges in maintaining privacy and security, as devices often need to reveal their addressing information to connect, making them vulnerable to attacks and unsolicited messages, and existing solutions rely on pre-distributed secrets and certificates that can be fraudulently generated.
Innovation Solution
A secure M2M messaging system that uses an intermediary server with access to a database linking addressing information with machine characteristic information, allowing secure communication without revealing addressing details, and utilizing security rules to authenticate and authorize message transmissions based on ownership, location, and other criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If machines use pre-distributed secrets and certificates for authentication, then connection security is improved, but vulnerability to fraudulent generation and attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a broker as an intermediary that performs mutual authentication between machines. Instead of relying on pre-distributed secrets that can be compromised, the broker verifies credentials and establishes secure connections. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by providing reliable authentication while preventing fraudulent access through centralized verification.
2Ease of operation
If machines reveal their addressing information to connect, then communication capability is improved, but privacy and security are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The broker acts as an intermediary that manages addressing information centrally. Machines can communicate through the broker without exposing their actual addressing details to each other. The broker translates and routes communications while maintaining privacy, thus improving communication capability without sacrificing security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses virtual addressing or proxy identifiers that copy the function of real addresses without revealing the actual machine identities. These virtual addresses can be changed or revoked by the broker without affecting the underlying machine, providing both communication capability and privacy protection.
3Productivity
If machines store and manage physical addresses across all connecting devices, then direct communication is improved, but system complexity and workload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The broker centralizes address management, eliminating the need for each machine to store and manage addresses of all other devices. The broker maintains the addressing information and performs lookups, reducing system complexity while maintaining direct communication efficiency through centralized coordination.
Data Source
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AI summary
A machine-to-machine secure messaging system permits a first machine to send a message to a second machine, despite not knowing the addressing information (e.g., telephone number, IP address or other identifier) associated with the second machine. The system comprises an intermediary server with access to a database with information linking addressing information with other information related to the device, e.g., owner name, operator name and job title, etc., and facilitates a secure communication without the need for either party to the communication to know the other party's addressing information.