Password Policy Enforcement Agent for Enterprise Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password authentication systems in enterprise computing environments lack a consistent method for implementing and enforcing password policies across diverse and geographically dispersed systems, leading to vulnerabilities and inconsistent security.
Innovation Solution
A computer usable password policy data structure is created to specify and enforce password policies, accessed by a password policy enforcement agent that validates and implements these policies, providing a centralized and automated approach to ensure consistent policy enforcement across the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If password policies are implemented across enterprise systems, then security is improved, but consistency and enforcement reliability deteriorate due to decentralized implementation
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments password policy management into distinct functional components: a centralized policy definition module that creates and stores password policies in a repository, and distributed policy enforcement agents deployed on individual systems that retrieve and enforce these policies. This segmentation allows consistent policy definitions to be maintained centrally while enabling flexible local enforcement across diverse enterprise systems.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized policy repository acts as an intermediary between policy administrators and enforcement agents. The repository stores password policies in a standardized format and provides them to enforcement agents upon request. This intermediary ensures that all enforcement agents receive identical, consistent policy definitions from a single authoritative source, eliminating variations in policy interpretation across the enterprise.
2Stability of the object's composition
If centralized policy control is implemented, then policy consistency is improved, but system complexity increases due to distribution and enforcement mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The policy enforcement agent is designed as a universal, multi-functional component that can be deployed on any enterprise system regardless of the underlying operating system or platform. It performs multiple functions: retrieving policies from the centralized repository, validating local password configurations against these policies, and enforcing compliance. This universal design simplifies the overall system by using a single standardized enforcement mechanism across diverse environments rather than requiring system-specific enforcement solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of the centralized policy definitions and distributes them to multiple enforcement agents across the enterprise. Each enforcement agent receives an identical copy of the password policy data structure, ensuring consistent enforcement without requiring complex real-time synchronization mechanisms. This copying approach simplifies the distribution architecture while maintaining policy consistency across all systems.
3Productivity
If manual policy implementation is used, then system simplicity is maintained, but productivity and enforcement reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The policy enforcement agent operates autonomously to retrieve, validate, and enforce password policies without requiring manual intervention from system administrators. It automatically queries the centralized repository for current policies, compares them against local configurations, and enforces compliance through automated mechanisms. This self-service capability dramatically improves productivity by eliminating time-consuming manual policy implementation while keeping the system relatively simple through the use of standardized automation protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The enforcement agent implements feedback mechanisms by reporting policy compliance status back to the centralized repository and alerting administrators when violations occur. This automated feedback loop enables continuous monitoring of password policy enforcement across the enterprise without requiring manual audits or interventions. The feedback system provides real-time visibility into compliance status while maintaining simple operational procedures through automated reporting and alerting.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for establishing a consistent password policy. A plurality of password policies is described in a computer usable password policy data structure. The computer usable password policy data structure is accessed by a password policy enforcement agent. Optionally, the computer usable password policy data structure is validated for authenticity by the password policy enforcement agent. Optionally, the password policy enforcement agent can report back to a centralized configuration and aggregation point repository in order to provide a consistent view of policy enforcement.