Application-Specific VPN Access Control for BYOD Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VPNs lack application-specific access control, limiting enterprises to manage access based on devices rather than applications, which is inadequate in the bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model, and requires traditional packet inspection for traffic management.
Innovation Solution
Implementing application-specific access systems that allow enterprises to set rules for authorized applications to access VPNs, diverting network data flows through a VPN tunnel without entering the TCP/IP stack, enabling traffic inspection and control at the application layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional VPNs use device-based access control, then implementation is simple, but application-specific access control capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the VPN access control system into multiple components: a rule management component that stores application-specific rules, a rule matching component that compares application identifiers against rules, and a VPN tunnel management component that establishes connections based on rule matches. This segmentation enables application-specific control while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring access rules with application identifiers and VPN tunnel parameters before runtime. When an application requests network access, the rule matching component immediately compares the application's identifier against pre-stored rules, enabling rapid authorization decisions without complex real-time analysis.
2Reliability
If VPNs encrypt all data traffic, then security is improved, but traffic inspection capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that sits between the application and the VPN encryption process. This intermediary captures application data streams before encryption, allowing traffic inspection and filtering of unencrypted data. The inspected data is then passed to the VPN encryption component, which encrypts only the necessary portions while maintaining the ability to inspect traffic through the intermediary layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the data processing pipeline into distinct stages: data capture at the application layer, traffic inspection and filtering, and VPN encryption. This segmentation allows traffic inspection to occur on unencrypted data streams before they enter the encryption tunnel, maintaining both security and inspectability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If VPNs operate at the network layer, then compatibility is improved, but application-layer traffic control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary component that operates at the application layer to capture data streams directly from applications before they enter the network protocol stack. This intermediary enables application-layer traffic control by inspecting and filtering data at the source, then passing controlled data to the network layer VPN implementation, avoiding the need for complex protocol stack modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a new dimension of control at the application layer above the traditional network layer VPN architecture. Instead of only controlling traffic at the network protocol level, the patent introduces application identifier-based control rules that operate in an additional dimensional space, enabling fine-grained application-specific traffic control while maintaining standard network layer VPN operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems and methods utilizing application-specific access to a virtual private network (“VPN”). A method may comprise receiving, from an application executing on a device, a request for a network data flow to a private network, comparing identification information associated with the application against a set of rules stored on a memory of the device, wherein the set of rules identifies conditions for the application to be authorized to access the private network, and establishing a connection for the network data flow upon the identification information satisfying the conditions for the application to access the private network.