MFP Session ID Cookie Authentication Bypass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Information processing apparatuses, such as MFPs, face challenges in efficiently notifying servers of control operation completion without undergoing authentication processing, leading to increased load on Web servers due to long response times for device control operations like printing.

Innovation Solution

The system allows the information processing apparatus to notify the server of control operation completion without undergoing authentication processing by using a session ID cookie to manage sessions between the MFP and the server, enabling the MFP to transmit completion notifications directly to the server without additional authentication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If authentication processing is performed for each notification from information processing apparatus to server, then security is improved, but response time increases and server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The server performs authentication processing in advance when receiving a control operation request from the information processing apparatus. The server stores the apparatus identification information and authentication result in association with each other before the control operation is executed. This preliminary authentication eliminates the need for repeated authentication during subsequent notification exchanges, thereby reducing response time while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing full authentication processing for each notification, the system uses the pre-stored authentication result and apparatus identification information as a substitute for repeated authentication. The information processing apparatus includes its identification information in notification transmissions, and the server uses this copied authentication context to verify the notification source without re-running the complete authentication protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If authentication processing is performed for each notification from information processing apparatus to server, then security is improved, but server load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidserver load
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The server performs authentication processing in advance when receiving a control operation request from the information processing apparatus. The server stores the apparatus identification information and authentication result in association with each other before the control operation is executed. This preliminary authentication eliminates the need for repeated authentication during subsequent notification exchanges, thereby reducing response time while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of performing full authentication processing for each notification, the system uses the pre-stored authentication result and apparatus identification information as a substitute for repeated authentication. The information processing apparatus includes its identification information in notification transmissions, and the server uses this copied authentication context to verify the notification source without re-running the complete authentication protocol.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP2700034B1Information processing apparatus, information processing system, control method therefor, and storage medium
Publication Date: 2019.07.17 CANON KK
  • EP2700034B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2700034B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2700034B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

In an information processing system of the invention, when authentication using authentication information from a Web browser of an MFP succeeds, a server generates a session ID, and transmits screen information added with the session ID to the Web browser. The Web browser accepts an operation through an operation screen displayed based on the screen information received from the server, and transmits its operation content to the server. The server transmits, to a service provider of the MFP, a request for executing a job corresponding to the operation content, in which a session ID is designated. Upon completion of execution of the job, the service provider transmits, to the server without intervening the Web browser, completion information indicating the execution result and added with the session ID.