Proxy Module for Endpoint Digital Certificate Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endpoints face challenges in obtaining digital certificates due to limited resources and incompatible communication protocols, which can compromise security and functionality, especially when trying to verify identities and possess private keys.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a proxy function module to communicate with a certificate authority on behalf of the endpoint, generating and managing authentication information to obtain a digital certificate while keeping the private key secure on the endpoint, thus minimizing resource usage and handling various communication protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the endpoint directly communicates with the certificate authority to obtain a digital certificate, then the authentication process can be completed, but the endpoint's limited resources are overwhelmed and protocol incompatibility occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A proxy function module is introduced as an intermediary between the endpoint and the certificate authority. The proxy module handles complex authentication protocols and resource-intensive operations, while the endpoint only needs to provide basic authentication information. This resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable certificate acquisition without overwhelming the endpoint's limited resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The certificate acquisition process is segmented into two parts: the endpoint generates and provides authentication information, while the proxy function module handles the actual communication with the certificate authority. This segmentation allows the endpoint to remain resource-efficient while still completing the authentication process reliably.
2Reliability
If the endpoint handles all authentication processing locally, then security is maintained, but the processing requirements and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy function module acts as an intermediary that assumes the resource-intensive processing tasks. The endpoint only needs to generate authentication information and receive the digital certificate, while the proxy module handles the complex protocol negotiations and communications with the certificate authority. This maintains security while significantly reducing the endpoint's energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex authentication processing functionality is extracted from the endpoint and placed in the proxy function module. This extraction allows the endpoint to maintain security by keeping its private key local while offloading the energy-consuming processing tasks to the proxy module, which has greater computational resources.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the endpoint supports multiple communication protocols directly, then compatibility with different certificate authorities is achieved, but the device complexity and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy function module serves as an intermediary that supports multiple communication protocols. The endpoint only needs to communicate using a single, simple protocol with the proxy module, which then handles the protocol conversions and negotiations with various certificate authorities. This achieves protocol compatibility without increasing the endpoint's device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The proxy function module is designed with multi-functionality to support multiple communication protocols and authentication methods. This universal design allows the endpoint to remain simple while the proxy module adapts to different certificate authority requirements, achieving versatility without burdening the endpoint with complex protocol support.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method of establishing a digital certificate on an endpoint includes establishing a connection between a proxy function module and the endpoint. The proxy function module is remotely located from the endpoint and operable to communicate with the endpoint and a certificate authority. Authentication information is generated at the endpoint. A portion of the authentication information is transmitted to the proxy function module. The proxy function module obtains a digital certificate based on the portion of the authentication information. The digital certificate is received at the endpoint from the proxy function module.