Selective Routing Agent for Network Traffic Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network security measures are inadequate in effectively routing and managing network traffic based on IP addresses, particularly in identifying and handling malicious or suspicious IP addresses, which can lead to resource inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities.
Innovation Solution
A system that employs a selective routing agent and dynamic proxy service to analyze and route network traffic based on IP addresses, using whitelisted and blacklisted lists to determine whether traffic should be directly routed or sent through a tunnel for security inspection, dynamically updating these lists based on client behavior and proxy service feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all network traffic is routed through a proxy service for security inspection, then network security is improved, but resource consumption and network performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments network traffic into different categories (suspicious vs. benign) based on IP address analysis. A selective routing agent divides traffic flow into two paths: suspicious traffic is routed through the proxy service for inspection, while benign traffic bypasses the proxy. This segmentation allows security inspection to be applied only where needed, improving security for critical traffic while conserving resources by excluding normal traffic from inspection overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality levels of security inspection to different traffic segments. Instead of uniform inspection for all traffic, the system applies high-security inspection (through proxy service) locally to suspicious traffic identified by IP address matching, while allowing standard handling for benign traffic. This local quality approach optimizes the balance between security and resource consumption by applying intensive processing only where necessary.
2Reliability
If network traffic is routed through a tunnel to a remote server for inspection, then security inspection capability is improved, but network latency and performance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic routing paths based on security requirements. Suspicious traffic is segmented into a separate flow that traverses the tunnel to the remote proxy service for inspection, while benign traffic uses a direct routing path without tunnel overhead. This segmentation ensures that latency-intolerant benign traffic maintains fast performance while security-critical suspicious traffic receives thorough inspection through the tunnel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by routing only the necessary portion of traffic (suspicious traffic identified by IP address) through the security inspection tunnel, rather than routing all traffic. This partial application of tunnel routing minimizes the performance impact of tunnel overhead while maintaining security inspection capability for traffic that actually requires it.
3Measurement precision
If IP address-based routing rules are dynamically updated based on client behavior, then routing accuracy and security are improved, but system complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the proxy service analyzes client behavior and network traffic patterns, then dynamically updates IP address routing rules and sends them back to the selective routing agent. The routing agent continuously monitors traffic and provides feedback to the proxy service about observed patterns. This feedback loop enables the system to adapt routing accuracy based on actual behavior while automating the complexity of rule management, reducing the perceived complexity for end users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the routing system to self-update and self-optimize through automated analysis of client behavior. The selective routing agent and proxy service work together to automatically generate, update, and refine IP address routing rules based on observed traffic patterns, eliminating the need for manual rule configuration and reducing system complexity from the user perspective. The system serves itself by automatically adapting to new threats and behaviors.
Data Source
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AI summary
A client analyzes requests for network resources to determine an IP address associated with the request, such as a destination IP address of a network packet. The client device selectively routes the request and other traffic associated with the IP address. The client device establishes a tunnel or other direct connection with a remote server. Network traffic can be selectively routed to the destination IP address associated with a resource request, or to the remote server based on the destination IP address associated with the request. The system can route client network requests to the remote server based on a category or other information associated with the destination IP address. Network packets associated with malicious or suspicious IP addresses, for example, may be routed to the remote server for performance of security features, while packets associated with other IP addresses may be directly routed to their target destination.