US 8,769,622 B2 · Authentication and authorization methods for cloud computing security

Abstract

An authentication and authorization plug-in model for a cloud computing environment enables cloud customers to retain control over their enterprise information when their applications are deployed in the cloud. The cloud service provider provides a pluggable interface for customer security modules. When a customer deploys an application, the cloud environment administrator allocates a resource group (e.g., processors, storage, and memory) for the customer's application and data. The customer registers its own authentication and authorization security module with the cloud security service, and that security module is then used to control what persons or entities can access information associated with the deployed application. The cloud environment administrator, however, typically is not registered (as a permitted user) within the customer's security module; thus, the cloud environment administrator is not able to access (or release to others, or to the cloud's general resource pool) the resources assigned to the cloud customer (even though the administrator itself assigned those resources) or the associated business information. To further balance the rights of the various parties, a third party notary service protects the privacy and the access right of the customer when its application and information are deployed in the cloud.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for authentication and authorization in an environment wherein computing resources are hosted in a shared pool of configurable computing resources, comprising:

receiving a request from a first entity for access to the shared pool of configurable computing resources managed by a second entity;
upon execution of an agreement among the first entity, the second entity and a third entity that is distinct from the first entity and the second entity, assigning the first entity a resource group;
registering a plug-in security module associated with the first entity in a plug-in service operated by the second entity in association with the shared pool of configurable computing resources;
restricting access to the resource group except via the plug-in security module;
upon occurrence of an event, returning the resource group to the shared pool by:
issuing a request to the third party, the request seeking permission to disassociate the first entity from the resource group;
and
receiving a response from the third party, the response indicating that the second entity has permission to disassociate the first entity from the resource group.

5 more elements

A computer program product in a non-transitory computer readable medium for use in a data processing system for authentication and authorization in an environment wherein computing resources are hosted in a shared pool of configurable computing resources, the computer program product holding computer program instructions which, when executed by the data processing system, perform a method comprising:

receiving a request from a first entity for access to the shared pool of configurable computing resources managed by a second entity;
upon execution of an agreement among the first entity, the second entity and a third entity that is distinct from the first entity and the second entity, assigning the first entity a resource group;
registering a plug-in security module associated with the first entity in a plug-in service operated by the second entity in association with the shared pool of configurable computing resources;
restricting access to the resource group except via the plug-in security module;
upon occurrence of an event, returning the resource group to the shared pool by:
issuing a request to the third party, the request seeking permission to disassociate the first entity from the resource group;
and
receiving a response from the third party, the response indicating that the second entity has permission to disassociate the first entity from the resource group.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Authentication and authorization methods for cloud computing security

Life of this patent

Authentication and authorization methods for cloud computing security

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14