Secure Interactive Debug via Challenge-Response Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing products often face challenges in balancing software security and customer support, leading to either compromised security or poor customer satisfaction, especially in the context of increasing cyber threats and IoT/IoE connectivity.
Innovation Solution
The Secure Interactive Debug (SID) method implements a computer-implemented process using an SID server and client to ensure secure access by a debugger to privileged debug services through a challenge and response methodology, ensuring secure login, authentication, and authorization, thereby providing flexible and secure access without sacrificing customer support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If customer support features are prioritized to enable troubleshooting access, then customer satisfaction improves, but security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication mechanism that mediates between the customer support need and security requirements. The system uses challenge-response authentication where the debugger must prove identity through cryptographic verification before accessing privileged debug services, thus enabling support access while maintaining security through the intermediary authentication layer.
2Reliability
If security measures are strengthened to protect against cyber threats, then security is improved, but customer support capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing authentication and authorization checks before granting access to debug services. The challenge-response mechanism is executed in advance of any actual debugging operations, ensuring security is established beforehand while allowing legitimate support activities to proceed without interruption once authenticated.
3Productivity
If privileged debug access is enabled for troubleshooting, then customer support effectiveness improves, but system security vulnerability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through the challenge-response authentication mechanism where the system verifies the debugger's identity and authorization level before permitting access. The authenticated debugger receives confirmation of authorized access, and the system continuously monitors the debug session, providing feedback control that enables effective troubleshooting while preventing unauthorized access through the feedback-based verification loop.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for ensuring secure access by a debugger to a privileged debug service for trouble shooting a product of a customer during a debug session is disclosed. Secure access is provided via an intermediate SID server. The method includes invoking a secure login process for accessing the privileged debug service, resulting in generation of a challenge string to be provided to the SID server upon determining that the customer has authenticated and has the rights for granting access to the privileged debug service. The method also includes receiving from the debugger a response string indicating that the debugger has successfully authenticated with the SID server, validating the response string, and providing the debugger with access to the privileged debug service by receiving input from the debugger indicating one or more commands/actions to be executed on the privileged debug service and executing the indicated commands/actions on the privileged debug service.