Token Nonce Generation for Secure Multi-User Access Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-user processing environments, tokens used for secure access can be compromised by unauthorized processes, leading to potential unauthorized access to information stored on them, necessitating a solution to control and restrict access to prevent security breaches while considering scalability, standards compliance, and regulatory requirements.
Innovation Solution
A nonce is generated in the token after successful password validation, which is used for authorized access and stored in volatile memory to enhance security, ensuring that access is restricted to authorized users and processes, with the ability to provide multiple nonces for different security levels and application processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tokens are used for secure access in multi-user environments, then user authentication and access control are improved, but the risk of unauthorized access by malicious processes increases
Solution Approach 1:
A nonce is introduced as an intermediary security mechanism between the token and accessing processes. The nonce acts as a temporary, single-use authentication token that mediates access control, allowing authorized processes to access token information while preventing unauthorized access by malicious processes in multi-user environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the authentication parameter from static password verification to dynamic nonce verification. By generating and validating unique nonces for each access request, the system transforms the security parameter from a reusable password to a single-use authentication value, thereby preventing replay attacks and unauthorized access.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If access to token information is restricted to authorized users only, then security is improved, but legitimate access by authorized processes may be hindered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication by validating the nonce before allowing access to token information. This preliminary check ensures that only processes with valid nonces can access the token, preventing unauthorized access while allowing legitimate processes to proceed smoothly with their authorized operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The token system provides feedback by validating the nonce and either granting or denying access based on its validity. This feedback mechanism ensures that authorized processes receive immediate confirmation of their access rights while unauthorized processes are promptly rejected, maintaining both security and operational efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If nonces are stored in volatile memory for security, then unauthorized access is prevented, but data persistence and reliability are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs nonces as disposable, short-lived security objects stored in volatile memory. These nonces are generated for temporary use and automatically discarded after validation or expiration, providing strong security protection without requiring long-term persistence. The temporary nature of nonces ensures that even if compromised, they cannot be reused for unauthorized access.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, a client and a token for providing a nonce during a login associated with the token in a multi-user computer system. A login process is activated after token insertion by a request to execute a user privileged operation made by a client application process. If a password provided to the login process by an access requester associated with authorized use of the token is validated in the token, a nonce is generated in the token. The password is passed to the token in a command and the nonce is passed to the client application process in a response to the command. The nonce is used by the client application process or any other additional processes during execution of the user privileged operation. Additional nonces, including those based on security level can be generated and passed to additional client application processes as execution of user privileged operations is requested.