Communication system, reliable communication mechanism, and communication method used for the same

• US 8,510,822 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kitamura, Hiroshi, Shima, Shigeyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIE, OSCAR A
• Application Number:
  US12/530,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,985 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0884 by delegation of authentication, e.g. a proxy authenticates an entity to be authenticated on behalf of this entity vis-à-vis an authentication entity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks

Abstract

Provided is a communication system capable of fundamentally preventing an attack from an unspecified counterpart and resolve problem even when a problem occurs in a user terminal or client and a server. A mediation server (1) receives an attack from an outside source on behalf of a server (34) (server A), redirects and receives communication addressed to a node-representative ID, and performs first authentication for the communication. In the case of a reliable user terminal or client (42) (client B), the mediation server (1) provides the device with an intermediary server ID specifying an intermediary server (2). The intermediary server (2) performs second authentication for the user terminal or client (42) (client B) going through the mediation server (1). When it is identified that the user terminal or client (42) (client B) is reliable, the intermediary server (2) asks the server (34) (server A) about an ID and provides the user terminal or client (42) (client B) with traceable ID information acquired from the server (34) (server A).

Claims

1. A communication system comprising:

a DNS (Domain Name System) server which extracts or acquires, when access has been generated using a FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) for accessing from a user terminal to a service providing sever, an IP (Internet Protocol) address corresponding to said FQDN, and transmits the IP address to said user terminal or performs access using the IP address;

a mediation server device which first receives, when the access using the said IP address corresponding to said FQDN has been generated from said user terminal or said DNS server, the access on behalf of said service providing server, and performs first authentication for said user terminal;

an intermediary server device which performs second authentication for the user terminal identified as a reliable terminal in said first authentication by said mediation server device;

a traceable ID managing server which generates an IP address as a traceable private ID capable of specifying a transmission source by a destination address in correspondence with the user terminal identified as a reliable terminal in said second authentication by said intermediary server device; and

a security gateway device which belongs to the same site as that of said service providing server,

wherein said mediation server device provides an intermediary server device ID for connecting to said intermediary server device to said user terminal or said DNS server that has performed said access using said IP address corresponding to said FQDN when said user terminal has been identified as the reliable terminal in said first authentication,

said intermediary server device transmits a notification indicating that access from the reliable terminal has been generated to said service providing server through said security gateway device when the user terminal has been identified as the reliable terminal in said second authentication,

said service providing server instructs said traceable ID managing server to generate a traceable private ID upon receipt of said notification indicating that there is a connection request from the user terminal identified as the reliable terminal in said second authentication, so that said traceable ID managing server receiving the instruction generates and transmits the traceable private ID to the user terminal and said service providing server, and

said security gateway device verifies that the access is access to said service providing server through a reliable path by said traceable private ID when access using said traceable private ID is generated from said user terminal, so that said service providing server provides a service to said user terminal,

wherein said second authentication is authentication for said user terminal and said server, and is performed by at least authenticating a communication path of which security has been identified between said user terminal and said server.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein said communication path of which the security has been identified is checked by performing at least authentication for a subscriber line between said user terminal and said server and authentication for a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

3. A communication method comprising:

extracting or acquiring, by a DNS (Domain Name System) server, when access has been generated using a FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) for accessing from a user terminal to a service providing sever, an IP (Internet Protocol) address corresponding to said FQDN,

transmitting, by said DNS server, the IP address to said user terminal or performing access using the IP address;

first receiving, by a mediation server, when the access using the said IP address corresponding to said FQDN has been generated from said user terminal or said DNS server, the access on behalf of said service providing server, performing first authentication for said user terminal, and providing an intermediary server ID for connecting to a intermediary server to said user terminal or said DNS server that has performed said access using said IP address corresponding to said FQDN when said user terminal has been identified as the reliable terminal in said first authentication;

performing, by said intermediary server, second authentication for the user terminal identified as a reliable terminal in said first authentication by said mediation server, and transmitting a notification indicating that access from the reliable terminal has been generated to said service providing server through a security gateway belonging to the same site as that of said service providing server when the user terminal has been identified as the reliable terminal in said second authentication;

instructing, by said service providing server, a traceable ID managing server to generate a traceable private ID upon receipt of said notification indicating that there is a connection request from the user terminal identified as the reliable terminal in said second authentication;

generating, by said traceable ID managing server, an IP address as a traceable private ID capable of specifying a transmission source by a destination address in correspondence with the user terminal identified as a reliable terminal in said second authentication by said intermediary server upon receipt of the instruction from said service providing server and transmitting the traceable private ID to the user terminal and said service providing server;

verifying, by said security gateway, that the access is access to said service providing server through a reliable path by said traceable private ID when access using said traceable private ID is generated from said user terminal; and

providing, by said service providing server, a service to said user terminal wherein said second authentication is authentication for said user terminal and said server, and is performed by at least authenticating a communication path of which security has been identified between said user terminal and said server.

4. The communication method according to claim 3, wherein said communication path of which the security has been identified is checked by performing at least authentication for a subscriber line between said user terminal and said server and authentication for a VPN (Virtual Private Network).