On-Demand Router Web UI Security Certificates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Home routers often lack secure access to their web user interfaces due to self-signed certificates, which are untrusted by web browsers, leading to security risks and user confusion, and pose challenges in certificate management and memory usage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where a router web server requests a signed router web UI security certificate from a remote security certification server on demand, using a remote or local intermediate CA to establish a secure channel, reducing the need for onboard secure memory and improving security and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a self-signed certificate is used in the router, then the router can provide web interface access, but the certificate is untrusted by web browsers and poses security risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Certificate Authority (CA) as an intermediary between the router and web browsers. The CA issues digital certificates to the router, which are then trusted by web browsers. This mediator resolves the trust issue by providing a recognized authority that vouches for the router's identity, eliminating the need for self-signed certificates while maintaining web interface accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The router is equipped with a certificate management system that automatically handles certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation. The router can request certificates from external CAs, store them in secure memory, and manage their lifecycle without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability ensures continuous trusted access while reducing administrative overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple security certificates are embedded in the router, then certificate coverage is improved, but secure memory resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of statically embedding multiple certificates, the system dynamically manages certificates by requesting them on-demand from external CAs. The router can obtain certificates as needed, store them temporarily in secure memory, and revoke them when no longer required. This dynamic approach provides versatile certificate coverage while minimizing secure memory consumption at any given time.
Solution Approach 2:
The router performs preliminary actions by establishing secure connections with external CAs before certificates are needed. The certificate management system proactively retrieves and caches certificates in advance, ensuring availability when required while optimizing memory usage through selective pre-fetching rather than storing all possible certificates.
3Quantity of substance
If a self-signed certificate is used, then memory resources are conserved, but user confusion and security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing a trusted CA as an intermediary, the system eliminates user confusion associated with self-signed certificates. Web browsers automatically recognize and trust certificates issued by recognized CAs, preventing security warnings and providing a seamless user experience. The router maintains memory efficiency by obtaining certificates on-demand rather than embedding multiple certificates.
4Reliability
If the router obtains certificates on-demand from a remote CA, then security and user experience are improved, but network dependency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The router performs preliminary actions by establishing secure connections with external CAs and retrieving certificates in advance of when they are needed. Certificates are cached in secure memory with appropriate validity periods, enabling the router to operate offline within the certificate's validity window. This pre-fetching strategy balances online certificate issuance with offline operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts its certificate management strategy based on network availability. When connected, the router obtains fresh certificates from remote CAs. When offline, it utilizes cached certificates within their validity periods. This dynamic behavior ensures continuous operation while maintaining security, adjusting between online and offline modes as network conditions dictate.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure connection to a router web UI is provided. In one implementation, responsive to a client request to securely connect to a router web server (RWS), the RWS generates and sends a certificate signing request (CSR) to a remote-security certificate server (R-SCS). Upon validation of the RWS, the R-SCS signs and transmits a router web UI certificate (RWUIC) to the RWS to present to the client. In another implementation, the router includes a local-SCS (L-SCS) that periodically obtains a short-lived intermediate certification authority (ICA) certificate from the R-SCS. Responsive to a client request for secure access to the RWS, the RWS generates and sends a CSR to the L-SCS for the RWUIC. The L-SCS signs the RWUIC and passes the ICA certificate and RWUIC to the RWS, which presents the certificate(s) to the client. Upon validation of the certificate(s), a secure channel between the client and RWS is established.