Tunnel-less VPN Key Generation System Least Privilege
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tunnel-less encrypted Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) face security risks due to the use of a single group key, which can be compromised, allowing attackers to impersonate VPN gateways and decrypt intercepted packets, especially in inadequately secured environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Key Generation System (KGS) that assigns distinct, mathematically-related keying materials to VPN gateways based on address blocks, ensuring that each pair of gateways shares a unique pair-wise key and enforcing the principle of least privilege, thereby limiting key exposure and protecting against collusion attacks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single group key is used for all VPN gateways, then key management is simplified and scalability is improved, but security is weakened because compromise of any gateway exposes all keys
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single group key into multiple distinct pair-wise keys, where each key is shared only between specific gateway pairs. This segmentation allows the system to maintain scalability while improving security, as compromise of one gateway only exposes its specific pair-wise keys rather than all group keys.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different security properties to different gateway pairs. Each gateway pair has its own unique key with security properties tailored to that specific relationship, rather than applying a uniform security model across all gateways. This allows security to be optimized locally for each pair while maintaining overall system scalability.
2Reliability
If distinct pair-wise keys are assigned to each gateway pair, then security is improved by limiting key exposure, but key management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling gateways to autonomously generate and manage their own pair-wise keys using pre-shared identifiers and cryptographic algorithms. Each gateway can independently derive the necessary keys without requiring manual configuration or centralized key distribution, thereby reducing key management complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring identifiers and cryptographic parameters in each gateway before actual key generation. This preliminary setup includes configuring pre-shared keys or identifiers that will be used to derive pair-wise keys on-demand, eliminating the need for complex real-time key distribution mechanisms.
3Quantity of substance
If all gateways share the same group key, then the number of keys required is minimized, but the impact of gateway compromise is maximized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key space into multiple pair-wise keys, where each key protects communications between a specific gateway pair. This segmentation reduces the impact of compromise because an attacker who compromises one gateway only gains access to that gateway's specific pair-wise keys, not the keys of other gateway pairs, thereby limiting the scope of the security breach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of key sharing from group-level to pair-level. Instead of using a single group key shared by all gateways, the system uses multiple pair-wise keys with different sharing scopes. This parameter change directly reduces the harmful impact of compromise while maintaining a manageable number of keys through cryptographic derivation.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for secure communication in a tunnel-less VPN are provided. A key server generates and provides, to each VPN gateway, different, yet mathematically-related keying material. A VPN gateway receives distinct keying material for each designated address block (e.g., subnet) behind the VPN gateway. In response to receiving a packet from one a source host whose address falls within one of the designated address blocks, the VPN gateway identifies the appropriate keying material. The VPN gateway determines an identifier for the address block that includes the destination address. The identifier and the identified keying material are used to generate a key. The VPN gateway encrypts the packet with the key and forwards the encrypted packet to the destination host.