Ordered Resource Access via Cryptographic Authorization Tokens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content providers face challenges in enforcing ordered access to resources, as client devices can directly access embedded resources, potentially revealing them or allowing unauthorized access, necessitating a secure and efficient method to control access while ensuring resources are accessed in a predetermined order.
Innovation Solution
A system where a content owner generates an authorization token for a client device after accessing an initial resource, which includes access parameters and an expiration time, cryptographically signed with a secret key, ensuring that the client device can only access additional resources after verifying the token, thus enforcing ordered access and limiting access time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If client devices can directly access embedded resources, then resource accessibility is improved, but security and ordered access control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authorization mechanism between the client device and embedded resources. The initial resource includes an authorization that acts as a mediator, allowing the client to access embedded resources only after properly authenticating through the initial resource. This intermediary authorization structure enables ordered access control while maintaining resource availability for legitimate users.
2Reliability
If authorization verification is performed for each resource access, then security is improved, but system overhead and access speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding the authorization directly into the initial resource before the client needs to access embedded resources. This pre-positioned authorization eliminates the need for repeated verification steps during subsequent resource access, reducing system overhead while maintaining security. The authorization is prepared in advance and carried with the client through the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the authorization mechanism with the initial resource delivery process. Instead of separate authentication and resource delivery steps, the authorization is combined with the initial resource response, allowing both to be transmitted together. This merging reduces the number of separate verification operations needed and simplifies the overall access control workflow.
3Measurement precision
If access parameters are verified for each request, then access control precision is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the client device include the authorization in its own requests for embedded resources. The authorization self-validates through the cryptographic signature mechanism without requiring separate verification requests to the server. The server only needs to verify the signature, which is a lightweight operation compared to full access parameter verification.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for fast and easy verification of resource access, reducing overhead and preventing unauthorized access by ensuring that additional resources can only be accessed after proper authorization, with the ability to rate-limit requests and limit authorization validity, enhancing security and administrative ease.
Implementation Method 1
The service provider generates a 'token' for the client device by applying a cryptographic signature, such as a cryptographic function or hash function like HMAC (Hash-based Message Authentication Code), to the access parameters, an expiration time for access to the content and an additional secret key known only to the service provider that is used to generate and to validate the token.
Data Source
AI summary
Ordered access to resources is controlled by restricting access to additional resources that are accessible when a client device provides an authentication provided when accessing an initial resource. When the client device accesses the initial resources, a set of access parameters are identified describing the request and the client device providing the request, and included with an expiration time in generating a token. The token and expiration date are provided in an authorization for the additional resources. When requesting the additional resources, the authorization is provided and verified by comparing the token in the authorization with a test token generated with reference to access parameters of the request for additional resources. When the tokens match, the additional resource is provided to the client device.