SSL Cipher String Generation via GUI Policy Rules
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of configuring SSL on network traffic management apparatuses is complex and error-prone, requiring significant cryptographic knowledge to ensure selected cipher suites meet security policy requirements, leading to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors.
Innovation Solution
A method using a graphical user interface (GUI) to obtain custom selection and priority rules, which are applied to a cipher suite database to generate a secure cipher string for SSL profiles, facilitating more accurate and efficient cipher suite selection and configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If administrators manually configure cipher suites using text-based cipher strings, then SSL security policies can be implemented, but the process becomes complex and error-prone requiring significant cryptographic knowledge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a graphical user interface (GUI) as an intermediary between administrators and the complex cipher suite configuration process. The GUI provides visual representations of security policies and automatically translates them into appropriate cipher strings, eliminating the need for administrators to manually map security requirements to cryptographic parameters. This mediator layer handles the complexity internally while presenting a simplified interface to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically generating and configuring cipher suites based on selected security policies without requiring administrator expertise in cryptography. The apparatus autonomously performs the translation from high-level security requirements to specific cipher implementations, including automatic selection of cipher algorithms, key exchange methods, and protocol versions that satisfy the policy constraints.
2Reliability
If administrators manually translate security policies into cipher strings, then SSL sessions can be configured, but errors lead to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by malicious actors
Solution Approach 1:
The GUI acts as a protective intermediary that enforces security best practices automatically. It validates selected security policies against known vulnerabilities and ensures that only secure, vetted cipher suites are configured. The system includes built-in logic to prevent common configuration errors such as selecting deprecated algorithms or incompatible cipher combinations, thereby eliminating a major source of security vulnerabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback mechanisms that validate cipher suite selections in real-time against security policies and compatibility requirements. The GUI displays information about the security strength of selected ciphers, compatibility with client devices, and any potential vulnerabilities, allowing administrators to make informed decisions. The system also provides feedback when configuration errors are detected, preventing vulnerable setups from being deployed.
3Reliability
If comprehensive cipher suite options are provided for security policies, then secure configurations can be achieved, but the selection process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-evaluating and organizing available cipher suites according to security policies before the administrator needs to configure SSL sessions. The apparatus maintains an updated database of supported cipher suites with their security characteristics, compatibility information, and policy mappings pre-computed. When an administrator selects a security policy, the system has already prepared the appropriate cipher suite recommendations, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual research and evaluation during configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The GUI intermediary automatically filters and presents only the relevant cipher suite options that match the selected security policy, rather than overwhelming administrators with all possible cipher combinations. The system performs automatic compatibility checking and prioritizes recommendations based on security strength and client support, reducing the selection task to a simple choice among pre-vetted options rather than manual evaluation of numerous technical parameters.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, non-transitory computer readable media, and network traffic management apparatuses that obtain one or more custom selection rules and one or more custom priority rules via a graphical user interface (GUI). One or more of the custom selection rules are applied to a cipher suite database to generate a result set of cipher suites. The cipher suite database includes a plurality of cipher suite sets. One or more of the custom priority rules are applied to the result set of cipher suites to generate an ordered result set of cipher suites. A cipher string is generated based on the ordered result set of cipher suites. The cipher string is stored in a secure socket layer (SSL) profile to be used during negotiation of secure network sessions.