Off-host Authentication System for Host Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional information handling systems face security issues due to unauthorized access, as authentication credentials are verified by a host processor, allowing unauthorized individuals to manipulate the authentication process and gain access to the system.
Innovation Solution
An off-host authentication system is implemented, where an off-host processing system encrypts and sends authentication items through a network, which are decrypted and validated by an authentication information handling system, and an approval message is sent to a directory system to log the user into the host processing system, ensuring secure access without direct interaction between host and off-host processing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If authentication credentials are verified by a host processor in the IHS, then the authentication process can be completed locally and quickly, but unauthorized persons may gain access to the host processor and manipulate the authentication process
Solution Approach 1:
An off-host processing system is introduced as an intermediary between the user and the host processor. This off-host system performs the initial authentication verification outside the host processor, preventing direct access to the host while still enabling authentication. The off-host processing system acts as a mediator that protects the host processor from unauthorized access attempts.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system is divided into separate components: the host processor and the off-host processing system. By segmenting the authentication function from the host processor, the system maintains authentication capabilities while isolating the host processor from potential attacks. The authentication logic is separated into a dedicated off-host component that cannot be directly accessed by users.
2Device complexity
If the host processor directly handles authentication, then device complexity is minimized, but security vulnerabilities arise from direct access to authentication credentials
Solution Approach 1:
The off-host processing system serves as an intermediary layer that handles authentication credentials without requiring direct access to the host processor. This intermediary structure adds a protective layer that prevents attackers from directly accessing authentication credentials stored or processed by the host processor.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication verification function is extracted from the host processor and placed in a separate off-host processing system. This extraction removes the security vulnerability of having authentication credentials and verification logic within the host processor, while still maintaining the necessary authentication functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An off-host authentication system includes a network. An off-host processing system is coupled to the network and sends an encrypted authentication item through the network in response to validating a user. An authentication information handling system (IHS) is coupled to the network and receives the encrypted authentication item from the off-host processing system through the network, decrypts the encrypted authentication item to produce a decrypted authentication item, validates the decrypted authentication item, and sends an approval message through the network. A directory system is coupled to the network and receives the approval message through the network and, in response, sends a user approval through the network. A host processing system, which is located in a user IHS that includes the off-host processing system and which is coupled to the network, logs a user into the user IHS in response to receiving the user approval through the network.