Remote Authentication Token Mediator for Protected Application Testing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern application testing tools face challenges in accessing and testing features behind authentication walls, as they require user credentials and often consume significant resources and time for installation and configuration, and may not be suitable for secure, non-publicly accessible application portions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a client device and a remote server, where the client device establishes a session with an application server using authentication credentials and generates an authentication token, which is then transferred to the remote server for storing and using to access protected applications, allowing the remote server to emulate the client device for testing without direct communication through a firewall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If application testing tools are provided with user credentials to access non-publicly accessible portions of applications, then access to protected features is enabled, but security risks increase due to credential exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a remote server as an intermediary between the testing tool and the protected application. The remote server receives credentials from the user, establishes sessions, and generates authentication tokens that are passed to the testing tool. This mediator architecture allows the testing tool to access protected features without directly handling sensitive credentials, thereby reducing security risks while maintaining operational capability.
2Reliability
If traditional testing tools are used to access protected applications, then authentication capability is achieved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase due to installation and configuration requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The remote server performs self-service by automatically managing session establishment, credential validation, and authentication token generation. When a user provides credentials, the remote server autonomously handles the authentication process and provides the necessary tokens to the testing tool without requiring manual configuration or complex setup on the client device, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable authentication.
3Ease of operation
If testing tools directly communicate with application servers through firewalls, then access to application portions is achieved, but access restrictions and resource usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The remote server acts as a mediator that receives authentication requests from testing tools and communicates with application servers on their behalf. This intermediary approach allows the testing tool to access protected application portions without directly penetrating firewall restrictions, as the remote server handles the communication through appropriate channels, thereby easing operational access while avoiding firewall-related restrictions.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and devices for accessing protected applications. A client device accessing a protected application executing on an application server is provided. The client device is configured to establish a session between the client device and the application server based on an exchange of authentication credential information between the client device and the application server; generate an authentication token from the authentication credential information associated with the protected application; transfer the authentication token to a remote server for storage at the remote server; and transmit a directive to the remote server to access the protected application executing on the application server, where the directive includes an identifier associated with the authentication token for accessing the protected application.