On-Demand Port Forwarding for Secure Network Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In computing systems, managing access permissions for resource servers is challenging due to difficulties in identifying specific IP addresses for administrative users, leading to overly broad and persistent access control list entries, which compromises security.
Innovation Solution
An allowed client server authenticates and authorizes requests from client computing systems, selects a port for communication, and uses port forwarding to expose this port to the client, while maintaining a limited exposure duration to prevent unauthorized access and reduce security risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If access control lists are configured with multiple IP addresses to allow administrative access from various locations, then ease of operation is improved, but security is worsened due to overly broad and persistent permissions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a port forwarding mechanism as an intermediary between the resource server and client computing systems. Instead of configuring access control lists with multiple IP addresses, the system uses a port forwarder that dynamically maps client connections to the resource server through a controlled interface, thereby maintaining ease of access while improving security through precise, time-limited permissions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic port allocation and forwarding rules that are created on-demand and automatically expire after a specified duration. This dynamic approach replaces static IP-based access control lists, allowing administrative access from various locations while ensuring permissions are not persistent and can be revoked when no longer needed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If port forwarding is enabled with limited exposure duration, then security is improved by limiting exposure time, but device complexity increases due to port forwarding mechanism
Solution Approach 1:
The port forwarding mechanism automatically manages its own configuration by receiving client requests, authenticating them, creating appropriate forwarding rules, and enforcing expiration without requiring manual intervention. This self-service approach handles the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface to users, thereby improving security through automated time-limited exposure control
Data Source
AI summary
An allowed client server, that is authorized to access a resource server over a given port, receives a client request, from a client computing system, to access the resource server. The allowed client server authenticates and authorizes the request, using an authentication and authorization mechanism, and selects a port with which to communicate with the client computing system. The identity of that port is provided to the client computing system, and a port forwarding mechanism forwards traffic between the client computing system and the resource server, through the client-facing port and to the given port on the resource server.