Permission Control Method for Application Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices face security issues due to unverified permission inheritance during application installation, leading to potential security risks in sharing permissions between applications.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a permission control method that includes a processor and memory to manage and limit sharing permissions by storing inheritance limitation information, processing sharing permission acquisitions based on this information, and maintaining a sharing permission information list to regulate which permissions are inherited or denied between applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If permission inheritance is allowed during application installation, then application functionality and ease of operation are improved, but security reliability deteriorates due to unverified sharing permissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication installationVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by verifying the integrity of the source application and its permissions before allowing inheritance. The system checks whether the source application is signed by a trusted certificate and validates the permission declaration in advance of installation, preventing unverified permissions from being inherited. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring security checks are performed before the permission inheritance operation occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism that mediates between the source application's permissions and the target application's inheritance. The system acts as an intermediary by validating the source application's signature and permission declarations, and by filtering which permissions can be inherited based on verification results. This intermediary layer ensures that only verified, safe permissions are transferred, resolving the security concern while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If sharing permission inheritance is implemented without verification, then application operation convenience is improved, but harmful security factors increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepermission acquisitionVSAvoidsecurity risks
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by implementing security verification measures before permission inheritance occurs. The system preemptively checks the source application's signature validity and permission declarations to prevent harmful or unauthorized permissions from being inherited. This counteracts potential security risks before they can manifest, allowing convenient permission acquisition while blocking harmful factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of unverified permission inheritance into benefit by using the verification process itself as a security feature. The signature validation and permission declaration checks that might seem like obstacles are actually transformed into protective mechanisms that ensure only safe permissions are inherited. This resolves the contradiction by making the verification process itself a benefit rather than a hindrance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If strict permission verification is performed during application installation, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidpermission control system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces device complexity by performing verification actions preliminarily, during the application packaging and distribution phase rather than during installation. The source application's signature and permission declarations are verified in advance, and this verification information is stored with the application package. During installation, the system only needs to check pre-verified information, significantly reducing processing complexity while maintaining high security reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If inheritance limitation information is stored and processed, then permission security is improved, but information storage and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepermission securityVSAvoidinheritance limitation information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by storing inheritance limitation information in a targeted, selective manner rather than universally. The system stores verification results and permission declaration information only for applications that have sharing permission relationships, and only stores the specific permission information that is relevant to inheritance control. This localized approach to information storage reduces the overall quantity of stored data while maintaining comprehensive security coverage where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3054394B1Permission control method and electronic device operating the same
Publication Date: 2020.11.04 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD
  • EP3054394B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3054394B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3054394B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed is an electronic device including a memory configured to store inheritance limitation information of sharing permission owned by an application in a sharing permission relationship with an installed or executed application for sharing at least part of permission, and a processor functionally connected to the memory and set to process a sharing permission acquisition of the installed or executed application, based on the inheritance limitation information of the sharing permission when the application is installed or executed.