Private-Network Secrets Node for Authenticated Credential Sharing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The management of authentication credentials for accessing external services in private networks is complex, especially in environments where nodes dynamically join or leave, and conventional approaches often involve manual provisioning or external secrets management platforms that do not align with the trust model or connectivity constraints of the private network.

Innovation Solution

A secrets node within a private network is used to manage and provide credentials to other nodes, authenticating clients and providing credentials over a logical network after authentication, ensuring secure and efficient access to external services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If manual provisioning or external secrets management platforms are used, then credential management can be performed, but the complexity of the system increases and alignment with the trust model or connectivity constraints of the private network is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecredential management implementationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A secrets node is introduced as an intermediary component within the private network that stores and manages credentials locally. This secrets node acts as a mediator between authenticated clients and external services, eliminating the need for complex external secrets management platforms while maintaining alignment with the network's trust model and connectivity constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If credentials are provided to dynamically joining nodes, then network flexibility is improved, but security risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork dynamicityVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary authentication of clients against an authentication service before allowing them to access stored credentials. This preliminary security check ensures that only authenticated nodes can retrieve credentials, maintaining security even as nodes dynamically join or leave the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The secrets node implements a feedback mechanism where it verifies client authentication status before providing credentials. The system continuously monitors and responds to authentication states, ensuring that credential access is granted only to currently authenticated nodes, thus adapting to dynamic network conditions while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260067272A1Secrets node for supplying credentials to other nodes over a private network

Publication Date: 2026.03.05 TAILSCALE INC

AI summary

The technology disclosed herein enables a secrets node on a private network to provide credentials to other nodes on the private network. In a particular example, a method includes, in a secrets node, obtaining credentials for accessing a service. The service is provided by one or more computing systems external to the logical network. The method further includes authenticating a client to the logical network and, after authenticating the client, receiving, in the secrets node via the logical network, a request from the client to access the service. The method also includes, in the secrets node, providing the credentials to the client in a response to the request based on the request having been received over the logical network.