Null Trust Authentication System Context Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional authentication and cybersecurity technologies lack context and rely on single, non-confidence-based authentication of identities, leading to vulnerabilities in perimeter-based security models.
Innovation Solution
The Null Trust Technologies (NTT) system enhances authentication by enabling multi-factor methods and adding contextual data, which is independently verified by an external system to calculate a trust metric for informed access control decisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If perimeter-based security architecture is used to segment network traffic and control access, then network security is improved through defined perimeters and access rules, but the system becomes vulnerable to credential compromise and lateral movement attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the authentication process into multiple independent factors (something you know, something you have, something you are, location, device). Each factor is evaluated separately and combined to form a comprehensive trust decision, preventing single-point credential compromise from granting full access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes authentication parameters by evaluating multiple contextual factors (geolocation, device characteristics, authentication method) rather than relying on static credentials. This transforms the authentication from a binary pass/fail based on single credentials to a multi-dimensional trust assessment.
2Ease of operation
If single-factor authentication is used to simplify the authentication process, then ease of operation is improved, but authentication reliability deteriorates due to lack of context and trust verification
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is designed to universally accept multiple authentication factors (passwords, biometrics, device tokens, location data) through a single unified interface. This allows the system to adapt to different authentication scenarios without requiring separate systems for each factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by evaluating each authentication factor and combining them to generate an overall trust decision. The authentication process continuously assesses contextual information and adjusts the trust decision based on the combination of factors presented, rather than relying on a single static credential check.
3Productivity
If applications trust authenticated identities indefinitely after perimeter authentication, then productivity is improved through continuous access, but security deteriorates due to lack of ongoing verification
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic re-evaluation of authentication trust by requiring continuous verification of authentication factors. Rather than granting indefinite access after initial authentication, the system periodically reassesses the validity of authentication credentials and contextual factors to maintain secure continuous access.
4Reliability
If multi-factor authentication is implemented to strengthen identity verification, then authentication reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple authentication factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary authentication service that mediates between the client application and multiple authentication factors. This intermediary handles the complexity of coordinating multiple authentication methods, managing credential verification, and synthesizing trust decisions, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining multi-factor authentication capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for accessing a protected web resource includes communicating, by a client device, a client request for accessing the protected web resource, intercepting the client request at a perimeter guard system, initiating a first session between the client device and an authentication server, authenticating the client device at the authentication server during the first session, in response to authenticating, associating an authentication token with a first cryptographic signature, communicating the authentication token to the client device, initiating a second session between the client device and the perimeter guard system using the authentication token and, based on the authentication token, allowing the client device to access the protected web resource.