Mobile App Binary Code Signing Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated binary production methods for mobile applications require access to sensitive information, posing security vulnerabilities and limiting organizations with sensitive security needs from utilizing these methods, as seen in the case of General Elizabeth Bennet's Health Security Services during a global pandemic, where they need to produce an employee mobile application without compromising their security.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a computing platform generating mobile application binaries and providing them with a package that includes the organization's code-signing certificate, allowing the organization to upload the binary to app stores without granting access to the platform, thus mitigating security concerns and enabling full management and distribution of the application by the organization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the computing platform accesses the organization's sensitive information to produce binaries, then the binary production automation is improved, but the security vulnerability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the computing platform produces binaries using the organization's metadata without directly accessing their sensitive information. The platform acts as a mediator that processes encrypted or tokenized references to the organization's assets, allowing automated binary generation while preventing direct exposure of sensitive data to the platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the binary production process into distinct components: metadata management, binary generation, and code-signing. Each component operates independently with controlled access rights. The organization's sensitive information is separated from the binary production workflow, with only necessary metadata being shared through secure interfaces.
2Ease of operation
If the organization grants access to their app store account to the computing platform, then the binary upload process is simplified, but the security risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an intermediary layer between the computing platform and the organization's app store account. Instead of direct access, the platform generates binaries and provides them through a secure interface that the organization then uploads to their app store account. This intermediary process maintains operational simplicity while eliminating direct access risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a copy of the binary file that can be transferred without requiring access to the original source or destination systems. The computing platform produces a standalone binary copy that the organization can independently upload, eliminating the need for platform access to the app store account while maintaining the ability to simplify the upload process.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the organization maintains full control over their code-signing credentials, then the security is improved, but the automated production capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The organization performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring their code-signing credentials and metadata in a secure manner before binary production. They prepare cryptographic keys, signing certificates, and metadata templates in advance, which the computing platform then uses automatically during binary generation without requiring real-time access to the credentials themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary cryptographic layer is introduced between the code-signing credentials and the binary production process. The platform uses encrypted references or tokenized representations of the credentials, allowing automated signing operations while the actual credentials remain securely stored and controlled by the organization without direct platform access.
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile application development environment may be maintained in association with a computing platform. A request to produce a binary of a first mobile application may be processed. The binary and a package configurable to cause the binary to have code-sign credentials associated with a first organization when the binary is uploaded to a mobile application provider may be produced. The binary and the package may be provided to the first organization.