Proxy Server Tenant Header Logging for Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network communication systems face challenges in effectively managing access requests for resources, leading to over-inclusive blocking of requests with credentials that do not match the tenant control header, resulting in a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A proxy server is configured to insert a tenant control header into requests, compare it with the tenant identifier in the request body, and upon rejection, remove the header to retransmit the request, allowing differentiation between permitted and non-permitted tenant identifiers and logging access requests accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the proxy server blocks all requests with credentials that do not match the tenant control header, then security is improved, but user experience deteriorates due to over-inclusive blocking
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different handling rules to different types of requests based on their tenant identifier characteristics. Permitted tenant identifiers (matching the control header) are allowed through, while non-permitted ones are blocked. This localized differentiation resolves the contradiction by making security enforcement precise rather than blanket, thus maintaining security while improving user experience for legitimate requests.
Solution Approach 2:
The tenant identifier validation process is segmented into distinct categories: permitted tenant identifiers that match the control header and non-permitted ones that don't match. This segmentation allows the system to apply appropriate actions to each category, preventing over-inclusive blocking while maintaining security for actual unauthorized access attempts.
2Reliability
If the proxy server logs all access requests with non-permitted tenant identifiers, then security monitoring is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The logging mechanism automatically identifies and logs requests with non-permitted tenant identifiers without requiring manual configuration or complex external systems. The proxy server itself performs the logging function by comparing tenant identifiers against the control header and automatically recording mismatches, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining security monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A proxy server receives a first request from a first user to access a resource hosted by a cloud-based server. The proxy server inserts a first tenant control header into the first request specifying a tenant identifier. The tenant identifier indicates a tenant permitted to access the resource. The proxy server then transmits the first request with the inserted first tenant control header to the cloud-based server. In response to receiving a first response indicating a rejection of the first request with the inserted first tenant control header, the proxy server transmits the first request again to the cloud-based server but without the first tenant control header. The proxy server then logs the first request as an access request using a non-permitted tenant identifier.