Merged Security Context for Concurrent Thread Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing security enforcement models are inadequate for handling concurrent program execution environments, where multiple threads with different security contexts require synchronization, leading to challenges in merging security contexts and ensuring proper access control.
Innovation Solution
A security management module that forms a merged security context by combining security contexts from multiple threads using techniques such as intersection, union, or a combination thereof, suitable for various security enforcement models like Windows security tokens, managed security principals, and code-based permissions, to ensure proper access control and synchronization in concurrent operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional security enforcement models are used with sequential program execution, then security context management is simple and straightforward, but the model cannot accommodate concurrent execution environments with multiple threads having different security contexts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security context into multiple independent components, each associated with a specific thread. Instead of maintaining a single monolithic security context, the system creates separate security context instances for each thread, allowing concurrent execution with different security requirements while keeping each individual context manageable and simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a security context merger as an intermediary component that combines security contexts from multiple threads. This merger acts as a mediator that receives security contexts from different threads, applies merging rules, and produces a consolidated security context, thereby managing the complexity of concurrent security context integration.
2Reliability
If multiple independent security contexts are created for concurrent threads, then each thread can maintain its own security context, but merging these contexts becomes complex and challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of security context merging by defining specific merging rules that operate on security context components. Instead of attempting to merge entire complex security contexts in an ad-hoc manner, the system transforms the problem into parameter-level operations, applying consistent rules to combine or intersect specific security attributes from different threads.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by establishing security context merging rules before concurrent execution begins. The merging strategy and rules are predefined, allowing the system to handle security context integration systematically during execution without making complex decisions in real-time, thereby reducing merging complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If security contexts from multiple threads are merged using intersection or union operations, then access control decisions can be made, but the merging process increases computational overhead and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively merging only the necessary security context components rather than performing complete intersections or unions of all security attributes. The system determines which specific security parameters need to be combined based on the execution context, reducing the computational scope and time required for merging while still making accurate access control decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for managing security contexts may be described. An apparatus may comprise a processor and a security management module. The security management module may form a merged security context for multiple concurrent threads, with one of the threads depending on more than one preceding operation from other threads. Other embodiments are described and claimed.