Remote Permission Enforcement for Code Extensions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile information systems face challenges in preventing content from non-trusted sources from accessing protected data and performing unauthorized activities, particularly when dealing with executable file formats like SWF files that can interact with various network domains.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method that includes receiving a sequence of instructions and permission indicators associated with the instructions, where the permission indicators are stored and retrieved to determine whether specific activities are permitted, allowing only authorized interactions and data access by providing a permissions data structure to the software application's code extension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If security mechanisms are implemented to prevent content from non-trusted sources from accessing protected data, then data security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by embedding permission indicators within the executable content itself before distribution. This allows the runtime environment to automatically enforce security policies without requiring complex real-time authentication systems, thus improving data security while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the content to carry its own permission indicators that automatically guide the runtime environment's security enforcement. This eliminates the need for external security management systems, reducing system complexity while ensuring reliable security through self-contained permission data.
2Reliability
If permission indicators are embedded in executable content from remote sources, then control over authorized activities is improved, but trust verification complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-embedding permission indicators in the executable content during creation or distribution. This allows the runtime environment to simply read and enforce these indicators without performing complex trust verification, thus improving access control while keeping verification simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the permission indicator as an intermediary that carries trust information from the content source to the runtime environment. This intermediary mechanism simplifies trust verification by replacing complex verification protocols with straightforward indicator checking.
3Adaptability or versatility
If code extensions are allowed to interact with content from multiple network domains, then functionality and versatility are improved, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning specific permission indicators to code extensions based on their intended functionality and trusted status. This allows different code extensions to have different permission levels, enabling versatile functionality while maintaining security through localized permission control for each extension.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by allowing the runtime environment to dynamically enforce permissions based on the permission indicators associated with each code extension and content interaction. This enables flexible functionality adaptation while maintaining security through dynamic permission checking during execution.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods, including computer software adapted to perform certain operations, can be implemented for providing remotely defined security data to an application extension on a client device. A sequence of instructions and at least one permission indicator associated with the sequence of instructions are received. A first permission indicator is associated with a code extension to a software application adapted to execute at least a portion of the sequence of instructions. The code extension is adapted to perform one or more operations that supplement the operations supported by the software application. An instruction within the sequence of instructions associated with adapted for execution by the code extension and with an activity is identified. The first permission indicator is provided to the code extension. The code extension determines whether performance of the activity is permitted based, at least in part, on the first permission indicator.