Runtime Security Manager Monitoring via API Hooks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Runtime environments face vulnerabilities that allow applets to disable security managers, enabling unauthorized actions without supervision.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that monitors runtime environments for attempts to disable security managers, detects unauthorized attempts, identifies the source, and blocks such attempts to ensure the security manager continues to prevent unauthorized actions, using hooks within APIs to intercept and analyze calls and determine authorized sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the runtime environment includes a security manager to prevent unauthorized actions, then security is improved, but the system becomes more complex and vulnerable to exploitation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting hooks into security manager APIs before unauthorized actions can occur. The monitoring mechanism is established in advance, allowing the system to detect and block disable attempts before they can compromise security, thus maintaining security without requiring complex runtime verification systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hooks as intermediary elements that mediate between the security manager and potential threats. These hooks intercept API calls to the security manager, allowing authorized operations to proceed while blocking unauthorized disable attempts, thereby maintaining security without directly increasing the complexity of the security manager itself
2Reliability
If the security manager prevents all unauthorized actions, then security is improved, but legitimate functionality may be restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the security enforcement selective rather than universal. The monitoring mechanism specifically targets API calls related to disabling the security manager, while allowing other legitimate operations to proceed without interference. This localized approach maintains security for critical functions while preserving overall system functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional security model by instead of asking 'is this action authorized?' it asks 'is this attempt to disable the security manager authorized?'. This inversion allows the security manager to maintain broad functionality while focusing enforcement on the specific vulnerability of being disabled, thus balancing security with adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed computer-implemented method for thwarting unauthorized attempts to disable security managers within runtime environments may include (1) monitoring a runtime environment that (A) facilitates execution of an application and (B) includes a security manager that prevents the application from performing unauthorized actions while running within the runtime environment, (2) detecting, while monitoring the runtime environment, an attempt to disable the security manager such that the security manager no longer prevents the application from performing the unauthorized actions, (3) identifying a source of the attempt to disable the security manager, (4) determining that the source of the attempt is not authorized to disable the security manager, and then (5) blocking the attempt to disable the security manager such that the security manager continues to prevent the application from performing the unauthorized actions while running within the runtime environment. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.