Server Certificate Verification via Preliminary Content Download
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Solution Overview
Problem
In bandwidth-constrained environments, such as mobile devices, the latency in authenticating server certificates during the TLS handshake can lead to connection timeouts, disrupting the user experience and requiring re-initiation of the connection.
Innovation Solution
A method where a client device initiates a handshake with a content server, completes the handshake, and establishes a connection before authenticating the server's certificate, allowing for the download and execution of content while authenticating the server using certificate information from a certificate authority, and transitioning to a secure state upon successful authentication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the client device waits to authenticate the server certificate before establishing a connection and downloading content, then security is improved, but connection timeout and user experience deteriorate in bandwidth-constrained environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by allowing the client device to establish the connection and download content before completing certificate authentication. The handshake is completed and content transfer begins while certificate verification is still in progress, shifting the authentication timing to occur during or after the content download rather than blocking it.
2Reliability
If the client device completes certificate authentication before establishing connection and downloading content, then security is improved, but connection timeout and user experience worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs the connection establishment and content download as preliminary actions before completing the certificate authentication process. This allows the user to receive content without waiting for the full authentication to complete, improving ease of operation while maintaining security through post-download verification.
3Loss of time
If the client device downloads and executes content before authenticating the server certificate, then connection timeout and user experience are improved, but security deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional security-first approach by allowing content download and execution to occur before certificate authentication completes. The security verification is performed after the content is already delivered, reversing the conventional sequence to prioritize speed while attempting to maintain security through post-hoc verification.
4Reliability
If the client device waits for complete certificate authentication before proceeding, then security is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to connection timeout
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs connection establishment and content download as preliminary actions before certificate authentication completes, thereby improving productivity by avoiding connection timeouts. The security verification occurs in the background or after content delivery, ensuring that the authentication process does not block productive operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A device and method are provided for a device that authenticates a server over a network. The device and method are operable to contact the server to initiate a handshaking operation. The device receives certificate information and handshaking information from the server. The device completes the handshaking operations to establish the connection with the server. The device downloads the content from the server through the connection before authenticating the server to establish a secure connection. In some aspects, the device may display a portion of the downloaded content before the server is authenticated.