Secure Script Execution via Nested Authentication Factors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computer appliances often require intervention from manufacturers or distributors for routine tasks, limiting user capabilities and increasing strain on responsible entities, with potential risks of unauthorized access or damage if users attempt to modify them.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secure script execution method using multiple authentication factors, including digital signatures and certificates, to authenticate scripts before execution, ensuring that only validated scripts are executed, thereby securing the appliance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If computer appliances are provided as closed or sealed systems with limited access, then security and system integrity are improved, but user capability to perform routine tasks and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces scripts as intermediary elements that enable users to perform tasks on sealed systems without directly accessing or modifying the system. Scripts act as mediators between the user's intent and the appliance's functionality, allowing routine operations while maintaining system security and integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing users to execute pre-authenticated scripts independently without requiring intervention from the responsible entity. The authentication mechanism allows scripts to be validated and executed autonomously, reducing the need for manual support while maintaining security.
2Ease of operation
If users are granted access to execute scripts on computer appliances, then ease of operation and user capability are improved, but security risk and potential for unauthorized access worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication of scripts before they are executed on the appliance. Multiple digital signatures and certificates are validated in advance, ensuring that only authorized and verified scripts can be run. This preliminary validation eliminates security risks while maintaining user capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Authentication certificates and digital signatures serve as intermediaries that verify the legitimacy of scripts. These cryptographic elements mediate between the script source and the execution environment, providing a secure verification mechanism that allows user access while preventing unauthorized operations.
3Reliability
If multiple authentication factors are implemented for script validation, then security is improved, but device complexity and processing time worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system uses nested digital signatures where certificates are embedded within script payloads, and multiple authentication factors are layered within each other. This nested structure allows systematic validation where inner certificates are verified by outer ones, providing robust security while maintaining organized complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Method, systems, and computer-readable media for securely executing a script on a computer appliance are disclosed. A script payload is obtained from a requesting entity via an interface of the computer appliance, the script payload comprising the script and script security data. Multiple authentication factors for the script are obtained from the script security data, the multiple authentication factors comprising at least some nested authentication factors, wherein a first one of the authentication factors is encapsulated within a second one of the authentication factors. A first validation is performed to authenticate the script and the first authentication factor based on the second authentication factor and to generate a validated first authentication factor. A second validation is performed to authenticate the script based on the validated first authentication factor. Responsive to the script being authenticated by the first and second validations, the script is executed on the computer appliance.