Session Key Repository for Secure Network Traffic Decryption
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing network tools require private keys or private key/public key combinations to decrypt network traffic, posing a security risk as administrators are hesitant to share these sensitive keys, and current systems lack a centralized solution to manage and distribute session keys securely.
Innovation Solution
A session key repository system that stores and manages session keys and IDs in a database, allowing network tools to decrypt communication packets without access to the private key, using a combination of hardware and programming components to monitor, identify, and distribute session keys based on customizable rules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If network tools are given private keys to decrypt network traffic, then decryption capability is improved, but security risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the decryption key into two parts: a private key held securely by the application server and session keys derived from it. Network tools receive only the session keys, not the private key itself. This segmentation allows decryption capability to be provided to network tools while preventing them from accessing the sensitive private key, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and security risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a session key repository as an intermediary component between the application server and network tools. The repository stores session keys and provides them to authorized network tools without exposing the private key. This intermediary mechanism enables network tools to decrypt traffic (improving ease of operation) while the private key remains protected (reducing security risk).
2Ease of operation
If private keys are distributed to multiple network tools, then decryption capability is improved, but key management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the key management function from individual network tools and centralizes it in the session key repository. Instead of each network tool managing its own keys, the repository centrally stores and distributes session keys. This extraction reduces key management complexity while maintaining decryption capability across multiple tools.
Solution Approach 2:
The session key repository serves multiple network tools simultaneously with a single centralized storage system. Rather than requiring separate key management infrastructure for each tool, the universal repository provides session keys to any authorized tool, simplifying key management while supporting multiple decryption operations.
3Reliability
If administrators restrict access to private keys, then security is improved, but network tool functionality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-generating session keys from the private key and storing them in the session key repository before network tools need them. When network tools require decryption capability, they can immediately retrieve pre-prepared session keys from the repository. This preliminary preparation maintains security (private key remains restricted) while ensuring network tool functionality is not deteriorated.
Solution Approach 2:
The session key repository acts as an intermediary that bridges the security restriction and functionality requirement. It receives session keys from the application server (maintaining security by not exposing the private key) and provides them to network tools (maintaining functionality). This intermediary resolves the contradiction between security and functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
In one implementation, a system for a session key repository includes a monitor engine to monitor communication between a first computing device and a second computing device that is encrypted with a private key, an identification engine to determine a number of session keys and session IDs that correspond to the encrypted communication, a rules engine to determine a number of rules for storing and sharing the number of corresponding session keys and session IDs, a repository engine to send a portion of the number of session keys and session IDs to a network tool based on the number of rules and identification of the network tool.