Self-Federating Authentication Plugin for Code Reuse

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication systems face challenges in efficiently handling multiple identity services and authentication flows, particularly when relying parties cannot implement specific authentication process requirements.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a plugin-based authentication system that utilizes self-federation to support combined authentication processes. This system allows a single plugin to self-federate back to the authentication interface, generating individual authentication requests for each authentication process and combining the results to produce a single authentication token.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a plugin handles combined authentication processes by implementing all authentication flows internally, then the plugin can process multiple authentication types, but the code complexity and duplication increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication process handling capabilityVSAvoidcode duplication

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The combined authentication plugin invokes the authentication interface to handle individual authentication processes, allowing the system to serve itself by reusing existing authentication logic rather than duplicating it within the plugin

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication interface acts as an intermediary between the combined authentication plugin and individual authentication process plugins, enabling communication and coordination without direct coupling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate authentication requests are made for each authentication process, then each process can be handled independently, but the authentication time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication process independenceVSAvoidauthentication time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The combined authentication plugin prepares and sends multiple authentication requests in parallel to the authentication interface, performing preliminary actions that enable independent processing of multiple authentication processes simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The authentication interface continuously processes multiple authentication requests returned by different plugins, maintaining continuous useful action rather than sequential processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12294575B2Self-federation in authentication systems

Publication Date: 2025.05.06 CITRIX SYSTEMS INC

AI summary

Aspects described herein may utilize self-federation in a plugin-based authentication system to support combinations of authentication processes. The authentication system may include a plugin that executes an authentication process that is a combination of two or more other authentication processes. This plugin may handle the combined authentication process by self-federating back to the authentication interface, generating its own authentication requests under each of the subsidiary authentication processes. Thus, the self-federating plugin corresponding to the combined authentication process may allow the authentication system to support authentication requests that indicate the combined authentication process. This “chained” authentication process, accomplished through self-federation, may allow the authentication system to reuse existing code paths and avoid downsides associated with duplication of code.