Proof-of-Work Protocol Escalation Path for Network Traffic Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing systems face challenges in differentiating between legitimate and malicious network requests during sudden increases in traffic, such as DoS attacks, leading to resource overload and denial of service to both malicious and legitimate users.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a protocol escalation path that allows client systems to upgrade to an upgraded connection channel by solving a proof-of-work, which provides more bandwidth, stability, and higher priority, while associating a value with the proof-of-work to cover the cost of delivering content via the upgraded channel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the computing system accepts all network requests during sudden traffic increases, then network bandwidth utilization is improved, but system resources become overloaded and service reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different connection channel qualities to different client systems based on their proof-of-work performance. High-performance clients receive upgraded connection channels with better resources, while low-performance clients remain on regular channels, thereby optimizing overall bandwidth utilization without overloading system resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes connection parameters (bandwidth allocation, priority level, stability) based on the client's proof-of-work results. This allows the system to adapt resource allocation in real-time, improving bandwidth utilization for legitimate high-performance clients while preventing resource exhaustion from malicious low-performance requests.
2Measurement precision
If the computing system requires proof-of-work for upgraded connection channels, then ability to distinguish legitimate requests is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the server verifying client identities directly, the system inverts the approach by having clients prove their legitimacy through proof-of-work computation. The complexity shifts from server-side verification to client-side computation, improving authentication accuracy while keeping server processing relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The proof-of-work mechanism requires clients to self-verify their legitimacy by performing computational work. This self-service approach allows the system to accurately distinguish legitimate requests without requiring complex server-side authentication mechanisms, as the computational effort itself serves as the verification.
3Reliability
If the computing system allocates more resources to upgraded connection channels, then service quality for legitimate clients is improved, but resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allocating enhanced resources (bandwidth, stability, priority) specifically to clients on upgraded connection channels who have demonstrated high performance through proof-of-work. Regular connection channels receive standard resources, thereby improving service quality for legitimate clients without unnecessarily consuming resources for all connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by providing upgraded resources only to the extent necessary for high-performance clients. Not all clients receive upgraded connection channels, and the resource allocation is proportional to the client's demonstrated capability through proof-of-work, avoiding excessive resource consumption while maintaining reliability for those who need it.
Data Source
AI summary
The systems and methods described herein can provide a protocol escalation path in response to a client system's request or in response to a triggering event. For example, the computing system can provide an indication to a client system that the client system can upgrade from a regular connection channel to an upgraded connection channel if the client system can solve a certain proof-of-work. The computing system may also receive a request from the client system to access an upgraded connection channel. The upgraded connection channel may provide more bandwidth, stability, higher priority, etc., alone or in combination, comparing to the regular connection channel.