MAC Agent for Discretionary Access Control Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operating systems that use discretionary access control (DAC) models lack the security integrity required by organizations, as they allow users to inadvertently or maliciously grant access to unauthorized users, necessitating a transition to a mandatory access control (MAC) model for enhanced security.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a software component, referred to as the MAC Agent, which mediates between user processes and the operating system, intercepts system calls, alters access control lists (ACLs), and enforces a mandatory access control policy by modifying ownership and ACLs, especially for sensitive files, even when partially deployed across a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a MAC Agent is installed on all computers in the organization's network, then the security model integrity is fully maintained, but the deployment complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements MAC enforcement on a subset of computers rather than requiring universal deployment. The MAC Agent is deployed selectively on computers that need enhanced security, allowing the organization to achieve security goals without the complexity and cost of organization-wide deployment. This partial action approach maintains security model integrity for protected resources while avoiding unnecessary complexity elsewhere in the network.
2Reliability
If the MAC Agent intercepts and modifies all system calls, then access control security is enhanced, but the system performance and operation speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The MAC Agent serves as an intermediary layer between user processes and the operating system kernel. It intercepts system calls, applies MAC policy decisions, and forwards approved calls to the kernel. This mediator approach enhances security by enforcing access control policies while managing the performance overhead through intelligent call filtering and policy-based optimization, preventing every single system call from incurring full MAC enforcement overhead.
3Reliability
If the MAC Agent enforces strict mandatory access control policies, then security compliance is improved, but the ease of operation and user flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The MAC policy enforcement is applied selectively to specific resources and contexts rather than uniformly across all system operations. The system applies strict MAC control where security compliance is critical (protected resources, sensitive operations) while allowing more flexible DAC behavior for other resources. This local differentiation maintains security compliance for critical assets while preserving user flexibility and ease of operation for non-critical resources.
4Reliability
If the system tracks system state to prevent security breaches, then the security policy enforcement is strengthened, but the device complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The MAC Agent performs preliminary security checks and state validation before allowing operations that could lead to security breaches. By proactively tracking and validating system state in advance of potential violations, the system prevents unauthorized transitions before they occur. This preliminary action approach strengthens security policy enforcement while reducing the complexity of continuous monitoring by focusing tracking efforts on pre-identified risk scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for implementing a mandatory access control model in operating systems which natively use a discretionary access control scheme. A method for implementing mandatory access control in a system comprising a plurality of computers, the system comprising a plurality of information assets, stored as files on the plurality of computers, and a network communicatively connecting the plurality of computers, wherein each of the plurality of computers includes an operating system that uses a discretionary access control policy, and wherein each of a subset of the plurality of computers includes a software agent component operable to perform the steps of intercepting a request for a file operation on a file from a user of one of the plurality of computers including the software agent, determining whether the file is protected, if the file is protected, altering ownership of the file from the user to another owner, and providing access to the file based on a mandatory access control policy.