US 8,943,570 B1Granted

Techniques for providing enhanced network security

AssigneeCellco Partnership

InventorRohit Kalbag

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Abstract

Exemplary network infrastructures and methods employing a Security Gateway utilize client authentication for use of a secure connection between an application client and an application server of a protected network. Once a secure connection has been set up, a Security Gateway can start a timer for establishing a period within which a password and username are to be received from the application client before traffic is allowed to exit the Security Gateway. If a username and password are provided while the timer is running, the Security Gateway can contact a single sign on (SSO) server to check whether the username and password are correct. If the username and password are valid, the Security Gateway can start relaying traffic externally to the application server. If an invalid username and password are provided or the timer times out before receipt of a username and password, the secure connection can be terminated.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A network infrastructure for providing access to a protected network with enhanced security, the infrastructure comprising:

a Security Gateway connected to the protected network, the Security Gateway configured to provide an interface between the protected network and an application client residing outside the protected network;
a Domain Name System (DNS) server within the protected network, the DNS server configured to provide a DNS response, to a DNS request for an application server's Internet Protocol (IP) address from the application client, with an IP address of the Security Gateway, the application server residing inside the protected network;
and
a Single Sign On (SSO) server within the protected network, the SSO server configured to (i) receive a username and a password, and (ii) as an authentication check, check the username and password against a list of valid usernames and passwords for the application server in the protected network;
wherein the Security Gateway is further configured to:
(a) establish a secure connection between the protected network and the application client via a predetermined secure protocol, responsive to the DNS response;
(b) provide the application client access to the Security Gateway via the established secure connection for a limited time for authentication of the application client, while restricting access to the protected network;
(c) receive the username and the password from the application client, the username and the password associated with the application client;
(d) in response, provide the username and password to the SSO server in the protected network for the authentication check of the application client;
(e) provide access between the application client and the application server via the established secure connection, in response to the authentication check verifying that the username and password associated with the application client are valid;
and
(f) require, from the application client, further instances of the username and password for continued traffic between the application client and the application server.

9 more elements

A method of providing access to a protected network with enhanced security, the method comprising:

(a) in response to a request for an Internet Protocol (IP) address of an application server residing within the protected network from an application client residing outside the protected network, providing as a response from a Domain Name System (DNS) server a DNS response with an IP address of a Security Gateway, wherein the Security Gateway is configured to provide an interface between the protected network and the application client;
(b) establishing a secure connection between the protected network and the application client via a predetermined secure protocol, responsive to the DNS response;
(c) providing access for the application client to the Security Gateway via the established secure connection for a limited time for authentication of the application client, while restricting access to the protected network;
(d) receiving at the Security Gateway a username and a password from the application client, the username and the password associated with the application client;
(e) providing the username and password from the Security Gateway to a single sign on (SSO) server in the protected network for an authentication check of the application client;
(f) using the SSO server, performing an authentication check on the username and password, based on a list of valid usernames and passwords for the application server in the protected network;
(g) providing access between the application client and the application server via the established secure connection, in response to the authentication check verifying that the username and password associated with the application client are valid;
and
(h) requiring, from the application client, further instances of the username and password for continued traffic flow between the application client and the application server.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.