SDP Gateway MQTT Security Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

The MQTT protocol lacks sufficient security features to ensure privacy and security in current Internet of Things communication, particularly in device-to-device or machine-to-machine communications, requiring a solution that enhances data transmission security without significant changes to existing protocols or devices.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a Secure Data Path (SDP) gateway that verifies the data transmission relationship between MQTT publishing and subscribing devices, using a connection request mechanism where the MQTT broker determines allowed connections and forwards data only after authentication, ensuring secure data transmission through bidirectional authentication and minimal protocol modification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If security functions are implemented using TLS protocol or certificate-based authentication, then data transmission security is improved, but protocol complexity and implementation difficulty increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoidprotocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an SDP gateway as an intermediary component between MQTT publishing devices and subscribing devices. The gateway validates data transmission relationships and controls data flow, implementing security functions without requiring changes to the core MQTT protocol. This intermediary approach maintains simplicity of the original protocol while adding necessary security layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the security validation function into a separate SDP gateway component, distinct from the MQTT broker and client devices. By dividing the system into independent functional modules (MQTT protocol layer and SDP security layer), each component remains simple while the overall system achieves robust security through coordinated operation of segmented parts.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If certificate-based authentication or TLS handshake is implemented, then data transmission security is improved, but the number of handshake operations and implementation changes increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission securityVSAvoidimplementation simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs security validation in advance through the SDP gateway by pre-establishing data transmission relationships between publishing and subscribing devices. The gateway validates the publishing device's identity and authorization before data transmission occurs, eliminating the need for repeated handshake operations during actual data exchange. This preliminary validation approach simplifies ongoing operations while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3711274B1Message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) data transmission method, apparatus, and system
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 SIEMENS AG
  • EP3711274B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3711274B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3711274B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to the field of Internet of Things technologies, and in particular, to a message queuing telemetry transport MQTT data transmission method, apparatus, and system, so as to provide a solution for simply implementing a security function of the MQTT protocol. A data obtaining relationship between an MQTT publishing device and an MQTT subscribing device is verified before MQTT data publishing, and data sending is controlled by using an SDP gateway. Therefore, security of the MQTT data publishing can be effectively ensured. Moreover, protocol modification is relatively little, and implementation is simple.