TLS Handshake Fingerprinting for OS Version Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing solutions for determining operating system information, particularly version, are unreliable, require manual maintenance, and lack scalability due to their reliance on preset rules, and do not leverage information exchanged during communications security handshakes.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing machine learning models to analyze sequences of data exchanged during communications security handshakes, such as TLS negotiations, to infer operating system type and version without explicit identifiers, allowing for flexible and scalable identification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If preset rules are used to identify operating systems, then the identification process is simple, but the reliability and coverage rate are low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveidentification process simplicityVSAvoidprediction reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual rule-based identification with machine learning models that automatically analyze communication patterns, cryptographic protocols, and system responses to identify operating systems and versions, thereby improving reliability while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces communication security fingerprints as an intermediary that captures subtle behavioral characteristics during device communications, enabling more accurate operating system identification without requiring direct access to system information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If preset rules are used for operating system identification, then implementation is straightforward, but scalability is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation easeVSAvoidscalability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic machine learning models that automatically adapt to new operating systems and versions through continuous training on communication data, enabling the system to scale to new devices and platforms without manual rule updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-updating by automatically learning from new communication patterns and cryptographic implementations, allowing it to adapt to emerging operating systems without external intervention or manual maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If communication security handshake data is analyzed, then operating system version identification accuracy improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversion identification accuracyVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts specific relevant features from communication security handshakes such as cryptographic algorithm selections, protocol versions, and timing characteristics, focusing analysis on key indicators that distinguish operating systems without requiring complete decryption or analysis of all communication data

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If explicit operating system identifiers are not available, then device security is maintained, but identification capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice securityVSAvoididentification capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses communication security fingerprints as an intermediary that indirectly reveals operating system information through analysis of cryptographic protocol behavior, timing patterns, and implementation characteristics without requiring direct exposure of system identifiers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the security measures that hide operating system information (encrypted communications, protocol obfuscation) into beneficial identification signals by analyzing subtle variations in cryptographic implementation and protocol behavior that uniquely characterize different operating systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS20260058949A1System and method for operating system distribution and version identification using communications security fingerprints

Publication Date: 2026.02.26 ARMIS SECURITY LTD

AI summary

A system and method for inferring an operating system version for a device based on communications security data. A method includes identifying a plurality of sequences in communications security data sent by the device; determining an operating system type of an operating system used by the device based on the identified plurality of sequences; applying a version-identifying model to the identified plurality of sequences, wherein the version-identifying model is a machine learning model trained to output a version identifier, wherein the applied version-identifying model is associated with the determined operating system type; and determining the operating system version of the device based on the output of the version-identifying model.