Obfuscated Identifier Mapping Service for Security and UX
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing computing resource management systems face issues with identifier length and security, as sequential identifiers can reveal non-public information about the system, leading to potential security breaches and adverse user experiences due to excessive length.
Innovation Solution
The generation of custom-length obfuscated identifiers using cryptographic methods, such as block cipher algorithms and format-preserving encryption, to obscure information while ensuring unique identification of computing resources, thereby preventing information leakage and improving user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sequential identifiers are used to assign computing resources, then unique identification is achieved, but system information such as user count and resource characteristics become exposed to malicious users
Solution Approach 1:
A mapping service is introduced as an intermediary component that translates between sequential internal identifiers and obfuscated external identifiers. The mapping service maintains a correspondence table that maps internal sequential IDs to external obfuscated IDs, allowing the system to preserve unique identification while preventing direct exposure of sequential patterns to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The identifier format is changed from sequential numeric values to obfuscated values that may include random components, timestamps, or encrypted representations. This parameter transformation maintains the uniqueness and identification functionality while eliminating the sequential pattern that would otherwise expose system information to malicious users.
2Reliability
If traditional identifier formats are used, then unique identification is provided, but identifier length becomes excessively long causing display issues and poor user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The identifier parameters are optimized by changing from traditional long formats to compressed or abbreviated representations. The mapping service can translate long internal identifiers to shorter external identifiers while maintaining unique identification, thereby improving display aesthetics and user experience without sacrificing identification reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If sequential identifiers are assigned to computing resources, then resource identification is simplified, but malicious users can use identifier values for DOS or DDOS attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The mapping service acts as a security intermediary that decouples the simple sequential assignment mechanism from the user-facing identifier system. Internal sequential assignment remains simple for resource management, while the mapping service translates these to obfuscated external identifiers that prevent malicious users from exploiting sequential patterns for attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The external identifier parameters are transformed from sequential values to obfuscated representations that do not reveal system state information. This parameter change maintains the simplicity of internal sequential assignment while preventing external users from using identifier values for malicious purposes such as DOS or DDOS attacks.
Data Source
AI summary
A service allowing for obfuscation of identifiers such that the obfuscated identifier values are within a set of valid identifier values. The service allows for resources to be associated with an obfuscated identifier, and for clients to request information regarding obfuscated identifiers and resources associated to obfuscated identifiers.