Web Component Binding Tokens for Secure Resource Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for accessing resources through embedded web components expose web servers to security vulnerabilities, allowing malicious actors to gain unauthorized access and exploit data.

Innovation Solution

A system where a content publisher server acts as a proxy, using an identifier to bind a web component to a parent component, and generates tokens to control access through a gateway, ensuring secure communication between servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If embedded web components are allowed to access content provider servers, then functionality and content richness are improved, but security vulnerabilities increase allowing unauthorized access

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidsecurity vulnerabilities
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The content publisher server acts as an intermediary between the embedded web component and the content provider server. It generates and manages tokens that mediate access requests, allowing the embedded component to access content while maintaining security control through the intermediary layer rather than direct access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by generating tokens before actual content access occurs. The content publisher server creates authenticated tokens in advance that bind the embedded component to authorized access, preventing unauthorized access attempts before they can occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-affected harmful factors

If CORS protocol is used for access control, then basic security is improved, but control over content access is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidcontrol capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of access control from simple CORS headers to complex tokens with multiple parameters including embedded component identifiers, parent component identifiers, and expiration times. This allows fine-grained control over which embedded components can access which content under what conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The access control mechanism is segmented into multiple independent token parameters rather than a single CORS header. Each token contains segmented information about the embedded component, parent component, and access conditions, allowing independent verification of each aspect of the access request.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Object-affected harmful factors

If token binding is implemented to control access, then security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveunauthorized accessVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The token serves multiple functions simultaneously: it authenticates the embedded component, binds it to a parent component, limits access time through expiration, and authorizes specific content access. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each security concern.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP4401023B1Binding web components to protect accessing of resources
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 CITIGROUP TECHNOLOGY INC
  • EP4401023B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4401023B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4401023B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Presented herein are systems and methods for binding web components to protect accessing of resources. A first server may receive, from a second server, a request to provide access to content for a first web component on a web application of a customer device. The first server may determine whether to issue an identifier to the customer device responsive to validating the request. The first server may generate, responsive to the determination, the identifier to bind the first web component with a second web component to permit access to the content for the first web component on the web application. The first server may transmit, to the second server, a response including the identifier and the content. The first server may communicate, via the second server, data associated with a user interaction with the content on the first web component bound with the second web component using the identifier.