Packet Header Policy Coding for Zero-Trust Resource Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network security systems struggle to implement a zero trust architecture effectively, particularly in corporate networks with remote users accessing resources, as they lack efficient methods to authenticate and authorize access dynamically based on user and device policies.
Innovation Solution
A system that inserts policy coding, comprising user privileges, into packet headers at the client device or VPN server, allowing enforcement points within the secure network to apply policy rules to determine access permissions, ensuring compliance with zero trust principles without requiring customization of the VPN client or client device operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If policy information is inserted into packet headers at the client device, then access control decisions can be made dynamically at enforcement points, but the client device operations become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by inserting policy coding into packet headers at the client device before packets are transmitted to the secure network. This allows enforcement points to make rapid access control decisions without needing to query external systems, achieving dynamic access control while keeping client device complexity manageable through automated policy insertion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where policy coding is embedded in packet headers to carry access control information between the client device and enforcement points. This intermediary approach enables dynamic decision-making at enforcement points without requiring complex client device operations, as the policy information is automatically included in the packet structure.
2Reliability
If key material is kept within the secure network, then security is improved, but access control flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts key material and policy information from centralized secure network storage and embeds it directly into packet headers at the client device. This allows enforcement points to make flexible access control decisions based on the embedded policy coding while keeping the actual key material generation and management within the secure network, thus maintaining both security and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by inserting policy coding specific to each user and device into individual packet headers. This allows each packet to carry its own access control information, enabling flexible, context-specific access decisions at enforcement points while the secure network maintains overall security policies. Each packet is treated with local quality control rather than uniform centralized management.
3Reliability
If separate systems are used to determine user authority after VPN authentication, then security layers are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the VPN authentication process with the access control decision-making process by integrating policy coding insertion into the packet header generation at the client device. Instead of using separate systems to determine user authority after authentication, the policy information is combined with the packet data itself, allowing enforcement points to make access decisions in a single step while maintaining multiple security layers.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements universality by using packet headers to serve multiple functions: carrying data, routing information, and embedded policy coding for access control decisions. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems for authentication and authorization, reducing system architecture complexity while maintaining layered security through the embedded policy information.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for adding policy coding to packet headers to use to access resources in a secure network. A determination is made of policy information for a user defining user privileges to access resources in the secure network. The policy information is inserted into packet headers in packets to transmit to an enforcement point associated with a destination resource in the secure network indicated in the packet headers. The packets with the packet headers including the policy information are transmitted to the enforcement point. The enforcement point applies policy rules to the policy information to determine whether to forward the packets to the destination resource.