System and method to ensure secure and automatic synchronization of credentials across devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11321446-B2
Application number	US-201916715802-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 16, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

An access credential is modified at one device, wherein the device is part of a secure private network of multiple devices. Each other device in the secure private network receives notification of the modification. The credential modification is implemented when at least a subset of the other devices each accept the credential modification.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
obtaining an indication of a proposed modification of an access credential, the proposed modification being generated at a device of a set of two or more devices that are part of a secure private network, wherein the access credential is commonly used by the set of two or more devices;
causing notification of the proposed modification of the access credential to be presented to other devices of the set of two or more devices;
obtaining an acceptance or a rejection of the proposed modification from at least a subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices; and
causing the access credential to be modified for each device of the set of two or more devices when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted by at least the subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices;
wherein the steps are performed by a processing device comprising a processor operatively coupled to a memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secure private network comprises a blockchain network such that each device of the set of two or more devices correspond to a node of the blockchain network.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein one or more of indications, proposed modifications, acceptances, rejections and modifications are securely stored and accessible as blocks via the blockchain network.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein acceptance and rejection of the proposed modification of the access credential is based on a rule set.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the rule set comprises one or more of:
a rule specifying a maximum number of devices permitted in the secure private network;
a rule specifying a priority with respect to the set of two or more devices in the secure private network;
a rule specifying one or more acceptance criteria for when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted; and
a rule specifying a frequency limit associated with modification of the access credential.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the one or more acceptance criteria comprises assigning an acceptance weightage value to each device in the set of two or more devices.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acceptance weightage of at least one of the devices is different than the acceptance weightage of at least another of the devices.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein the rule set is configurable to allow limited acceptance by a first device in the set of two or more devices that has an active user on behalf of a second device in the set of two or more devices that has no active user by one or more of: entering a login credential of the second device; using a link provided in an email notification; and entering a one-time password.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the rule set is configured to be modifiable based on approval of at least a subset of the set of two or more devices.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the access credential is commonly used by the set of two or more devices to gain access to one of an application, a service and a system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of causing the access credential to be modified further comprises updating the set of two or more devices and the one of an application, a service and a system with the modified access credential.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a processing device having a processor operatively coupled to a memory and configured to:
obtain an indication of a proposed modification of an access credential, the proposed modification being generated at a device of a set of two or more devices that are part of a secure private network, wherein the access credential is commonly used by the set of two or more devices;
cause notification of the proposed modification of the access credential to be presented to other devices of the set of two or more devices;
obtain an acceptance or a rejection of the proposed modification from at least a subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices; and
cause the access credential to be modified for each device of the set of two or more devices when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted by at least the subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the secure private network comprises a blockchain network such that each device of the set of two or more devices correspond to a node of the blockchain network.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processing device is further configured to accept and reject the proposed modification of the access credential based on a rule set.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rule set comprises one or more of:
a rule specifying a maximum number of devices permitted in the secure private network;
a rule specifying a priority with respect to the set of two or more devices in the secure private network;
a rule specifying one or more acceptance criteria for when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted; and
a rule specifying a frequency limit associated with modification of the access credential.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rule set is configurable to allow limited acceptance by a first device in the set of two or more devices that has an active user on behalf of a second device in the set of two or more devices that has no active user by one or more of: entering a login credential of the second device; using a link provided in an email notification; and entering a one-time password.

17. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having stored therein program code of one or more software programs, wherein the program code when executed by at least one processing device causes the at least one processing device to perform steps of:
obtaining an indication of a proposed modification of an access credential, the proposed modification being generated at a device of a set of two or more devices that are part of a secure private network, wherein the access credential is commonly used by the set of two or more devices;
causing notification of the proposed modification of the access credential to be presented to other devices of the set of two or more devices;
obtaining an acceptance or a rejection of the proposed modification from at least a subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices; and
causing the access credential to be modified for each device of the set of two or more devices when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted by at least the subset of the other devices of the set of two or more devices.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the at least one processing device is further configured to perform the step of:
accepting and rejecting the proposed modification of the access credential based on a rule set.

19. The article of claim 18 , wherein the rule set comprises one or more of:
a rule specifying a maximum number of devices permitted in the secure private network;
a rule specifying a priority with respect to the set of two or more devices in the secure private network;
a rule specifying one or more acceptance criteria for when the proposed modification of the access credential is accepted; and
a rule specifying a frequency limit associated with modification of the access credential.

20. The article of claim 18 , wherein the rule set is configurable to allow limited acceptance by a first device in the set of two or more devices that has an active user on

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp

Inventors

• Sethi Parminder Singh
• Saxena Anshul
• Tadikamalla Vamsi Krishna

Classifications

• G06F21/45 Primary

  Structures or tools for the administration of authentication · CPC title

• H04L63/0838

  using one-time-passwords · CPC title

• H04L63/20

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• G06F21/64

  Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures · CPC title