Password Rollover System for Shared Accounts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password systems face challenges in transitioning shared account passwords without causing downtime or lockouts, as abrupt password changes can lead to access failures and lockouts for all client devices, requiring significant resources and protocol changes.
Innovation Solution
A gradual password rollover system that temporarily reuses an old salt with a new verifier during a rollover period, allowing client devices to access protected resources using either the old or new password, and then transitions to a new salt after the period, minimizing resource usage and avoiding lockouts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a password is changed abruptly in a shared account system, then security is improved by rotating the password, but all client devices may be locked out causing downtime and requiring administrator intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the acceptance window for old passwords based on the current time. A rollover period is established with a start time and end time, during which both old and new passwords are accepted. This dynamic time-based approach allows the system to transition from accepting only the new password to accepting both old and new passwords, and finally to accepting only the new password, thereby preventing lockouts while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by establishing the rollover period parameters (start time, end time) before the password change is fully enforced. The old password is marked for phased expiration with a predetermined timeline, allowing clients to transition gradually. This preliminary setup prevents abrupt lockouts by preparing the acceptance window in advance.
2Ease of operation
If multiple verifiers are maintained for gradual password rollover, then client access continuity is improved, but system complexity and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of verifiers based on their temporal validity. The first verifier (old password) is marked with a phased expiration policy and time window, while the second verifier (new password) is marked with immediate acceptance. This localized differentiation allows the system to manage multiple verifiers without requiring complex global state tracking, as each verifier has clearly defined temporal boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic action by implementing a time-based rollover period with明确的 start and end times. During this period, both old and new verifiers are accepted. After the period expires, only the new verifier is accepted. This periodic structure simplifies verifier management by creating natural phases (transition phase and completion phase) rather than requiring continuous complex state management.
3Reliability
If a rollover period is implemented allowing both old and new passwords, then lockout risk is reduced, but the transition time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters by adjusting the acceptance status of verifiers based on the current time relative to the rollover period. The first verifier transitions from accepted to phased expiration to not accepted, while the second verifier transitions from not accepted to accepted to fully accepted. This parameter change approach allows the system to extend the transition period for lockout prevention while automatically enforcing the end of the rollover period, balancing security and transition time.
Data Source
AI summary
A rollover system is provided to facilitate transitioning of client devices in a shared account network environment, from an old password to a new replacement password. The switching of passwords may take place gradually during a rollout period for client devices without required downtime and reducing a risk of lockouts. During the rollover period, a prior salt is temporarily carried over to a new verifier for the replacement password. Two new verifiers are generated: a temporary new verifier using the old salt for verification during the rollover period and another new verifier using a different new salt for verification after the rollover period had expired. During the rollover period, authentication involves the use of the temporary new verifier with the old salt or by the old verifier and old salt of the prior password. After the rollover period, authentication is based on the new verifier with a new salt.