WebRTC Data Channel Between Secure Web and Local Native Apps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies face challenges in establishing direct and secure communication between secure web applications running in a web browser and locally installed native applications on the same device, due to the migration to HTTPS, browser security measures, and restrictions on mixed content, making existing solutions impractical or unreliable.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) to establish a direct, secure, and bidirectional data channel between a secure web application and a local native application within the same device, utilizing signaling or rendezvous servers or local protocol handlers to exchange OFFER and ANSWER messages, without relying on traditional HTTPS trust models or external certificate authorities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional HTTPS trust models and public DNS services are used for communication between web applications and local native applications, then security is maintained, but communication reliability and speed are degraded due to mixed content restrictions and DNS service limitations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a signaling server as an intermediary component that facilitates the establishment of WebRTC data channels between web applications and local native applications. This mediator handles the complex negotiation process including OFFER/ANSWER message exchange, ICE candidate distribution, and credential verification, thereby reducing the complexity burden on the client devices while maintaining communication reliability through secure peer-to-peer connectivity.
2Productivity
If Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC) is implemented to establish direct data channels, then communication speed and scalability are improved, but browser security policies and mixed content restrictions create new challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the signaling server receives ONICECOMPLETE notifications from the web application after ICE candidate distribution, and responds with ONICESTARTED notifications containing verification credentials. This bidirectional feedback loop ensures that security policies are complied with by verifying the authenticity of communication partners before establishing the data channel, thereby maintaining security compliance while enabling fast direct communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by exchanging verification credentials and establishing trust relationships before the actual data transmission begins. The signaling server pre-verifies the authenticity of both the web application and local native application through credential exchange, and only after successful verification does it allow the WebRTC data channel to be activated for high-speed communication, thus ensuring security compliance is met beforehand.
3Adaptability or versatility
If direct peer-to-peer communication is established using WebRTC, then communication scalability is improved, but establishing the connection requires complex negotiation protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The signaling server acts as a mediator that handles the complex WebRTC negotiation process including STUN/ICE candidate exchange, credential verification, and data channel establishment. By centralizing this complexity in the signaling server, the patent enables scalable peer-to-peer communication between multiple web applications and local native applications without requiring each endpoint to implement the full complexity of the negotiation protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
Establishing communication between a secure web application and a local native application is provided. A first input is received to establish a direct Web Real-Time Communication data channel between the secure web application running in a web browser and the local native application running outside the web browser in the data processing system. In response to receiving the first input, the direct Web Real-Time Communication data channel is established between the secure web application running in the web browser and the local native application running outside the web browser in the data processing system.