Network Communication Device Private Session Key Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

In cloud computing environments, the management and virtualization functional abstraction layers face resource constraints and security risks due to the need to generate and store private session keys for data encryption, which can be exploited by unauthorized access.

Innovation Solution

Generating a private session key in user space and storing it on a network communication device, allowing the device to perform encryption and decryption operations, thereby freeing up resources on the host data processing system and reducing the risk of key discovery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the host data processing system generates and stores private session keys for data encryption, then communication session security is maintained, but resource consumption increases and security risks arise from potential unauthorized access to stored keys

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication session securityVSAvoidhost system resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the key storage function from the host data processing system and relocates it to a network communication device. The host generates the private session key and transmits it securely to the network device, which then stores and manages the key. This extraction eliminates the need for the host to store sensitive cryptographic keys, reducing its resource consumption and security exposure while maintaining encryption capabilities through the network device's storage and management functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the host data processing system performs encryption and decryption operations, then communication session security is maintained, but processing overhead and resource usage increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication session securityVSAvoidhost system processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a network communication device as an intermediary between the host data processing system and the communication session. This intermediary performs the computationally intensive encryption and decryption operations using stored private session keys, while the host system only needs to generate keys and transmit data. The intermediary role reduces the host's processing overhead and resource usage while maintaining security through dedicated cryptographic operations on the network device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If private session keys are stored on the host data processing system, then encryption operations can be performed, but the risk of key discovery by unauthorized access increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveencryption capabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk from unauthorized access

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the private session key storage function from the host data processing system and relocates it to a network communication device. The host generates the key and transmits it securely to the network device, which then stores and manages the key. This extraction eliminates the need for the host to store sensitive cryptographic keys, reducing its resource consumption and security exposure while maintaining encryption capabilities through the network device's storage and management functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Use of energy by moving object

If the network communication device performs encryption and decryption operations using stored private session keys, then host system resource usage is reduced, but the network device requires secure key storage and management capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehost system resource consumptionVSAvoidnetwork device functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple functions into the network communication device: secure key storage, key management, and cryptographic encryption/decryption operations. By combining these functions in a single device, the host system is relieved of resource-intensive tasks while the network device becomes a specialized security appliance. This merging reduces host resource consumption and simplifies the overall system architecture, as the network device handles all cryptographic operations centrally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11924179B2API based distribution of private session key to network communication device for secured communications

Publication Date: 2024.03.05 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A secure communication tunnel between user space software and a client device can be established. A private session key can be communicated from the user space software to a network communication device via an application programming interface. Outbound session packets can be communicated from the user space software to the network communication device. The network communication device can generate encrypted outbound session packets by encrypting the outbound session packets using the private session key; communicate to the client device, via the secured communication tunnel, the encrypted outbound session packets; receive, by the network communication device from the client device, via the secured communication tunnel, inbound session packets; generate decrypted inbound session packets by decrypting the inbound session packets using the private session key; and communicate the decrypted inbound session packets.