Selective Cookie Encryption via Proxy Resource
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cookie encryption methods that aim to mitigate unauthorized access by encrypting all cookies can cause functionality issues for client applications, as they often rely on unencrypted data values for proper functioning, leading to diminished user experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a proxy resource that selectively encrypts cookies based on attributes such as value, name, or content, allowing essential cookies to remain unencrypted and ensuring the client application can function properly while maintaining security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all cookies are encrypted to prevent unauthorized access, then security is improved, but client application functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments cookies into different categories based on their encryption requirements. The system analyzes cookie attributes (such as whether the cookie is needed for client-side functionality) and applies encryption selectively rather than uniformly to all cookies. This allows authentication cookies to be encrypted for security while functionality-required cookies remain unencrypted, resolving the contradiction between security and functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by applying different encryption treatments to different cookies based on their specific characteristics. The system evaluates each cookie's attributes and determines the appropriate encryption level individually, rather than applying a blanket encryption policy. This ensures that only cookies requiring security protection are encrypted, while others remain accessible for client application functionality.
2Reliability
If cookie encryption is applied to mitigate theft, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments cookies into security-critical and functionality-critical categories. By analyzing cookie attributes, the patent identifies which cookies should be encrypted for security purposes and which should remain unencrypted to maintain user experience. This segmentation allows the system to protect against unauthorized access while preserving the functionality that users expect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of encryption application from a uniform state (all cookies encrypted or none) to a variable state based on cookie attributes. The system dynamically adjusts encryption application based on evaluated parameters such as cookie purpose, content type, and functionality requirements, thereby optimizing both security and user experience.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for enhancing secure client experience through selective encryption of cookies. Techniques include using a proxy resource configured to selectively encrypt cookies exchanged between a client application and a target application through software-based operations. Operations may comprise receiving at the proxy resource, from the target application, a cookie that was provisioned for the client application, inspecting one or more attributes of the cookie, and selectively determining, based on the one or more attributes and before sending the cookie to the client application, whether to encrypt the cookie. Further techniques include developing a before-and-after comparison of the client application functionality using a cookie with encryption and a cookie without encryption.