Stateless Mutual Authentication in PaaS Using UUID Signatures
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Solution Overview
Problem
In Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) environments, existing authentication mechanisms rely on SSL/TLS termination at the router, limiting the ability for applications to perform mutual authentication without platform-supplied mechanisms, which can compromise security and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Implementing stateless mutual authentication using a universally unique identifier (UUID) and session key, where each application generates and encrypts a digital signature and session key with its private and public keys respectively, and transmits these via HTTP to enable secure authentication without relying on certificate authorities or platform-supplied mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SSL/TLS termination is performed at the router level in PaaS environments, then network security is improved, but application-level mutual authentication capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication mechanism is segmented into two independent layers: network-level SSL/TLS termination at the router for secure communication, and application-level stateless mutual authentication using digital signatures and session keys. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without interfering with the other, resolving the contradiction between network security and application-level authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication header containing digital signatures and session keys that mediates between the router-level SSL/TLS termination and application-level mutual authentication. This intermediary mechanism enables applications to perform mutual authentication independently without relying on platform-supplied mechanisms, while maintaining the security benefits of router-level termination.
2Ease of operation
If platform-supplied authentication mechanisms are used, then ease of operation is improved, but security and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service authentication where each application independently generates its own digital signatures using private keys and creates session keys for mutual authentication. Applications do not rely on platform-supplied mechanisms but instead perform self-authentication through the standardized header format, achieving both ease of operation and enhanced security through cryptographic independence.
3Reliability
If traditional authentication mechanisms requiring network decryption are used, then authentication reliability is improved, but processing speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-generating digital signatures using private keys and pre-establishing session keys before authentication is needed. These pre-computed cryptographic elements are included in the authentication header, eliminating the need for real-time network decryption and significantly improving authentication processing speed while maintaining reliability through cryptographic verification.
Data Source
AI summary
A server computing system generates a universally unique identifier (UUID) associated with a first application, the UUID to be encrypted using a private key associated with the first application to generate a first digital signature. The server computing system generates a first session key associated with the first application, the first digital signature to be encrypted using the first session key to generate a first encrypted digital signature. The server computing system encrypts the first session key using a public key associated with a second application to generate a first encrypted session key, wherein the first application and the second application are deployed with the PaaS associated with the server computing system. The server computing system transmits the UUID, the first encrypted digital signature, and the first encrypted session key to the second application using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to enable the second application to authenticate the first application.