IP Library Granted Patent US 11,546,763
Granted Patent B1
US 11,546,763 · App. 17/733,735 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Managing and monitoring infrastructure access in networked environments

Inventors: Carlos Ulderico Cirello Filho (Burlingame, CA); Justin Allan McCarthy (Redwood City, CA); Britt Vandermast Crawford (Bend, OR)
Assignee: strongDM, Inc.
H04W12/08H04W12/06H04W24/08H04W76/12H04W84/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,546,763
App. No.
17/733,735
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Embodiments are directed to managing access to network resources. Mesh agents for an overlay network may be provided. If a client requests access to a resource, a first mesh agent configured to provide the client with ingress to the overlay network may be determined. If a security engine validates the request received from the first mesh agent, a route from the client to the resource may be determined. A secure tunnel may be generated between the first mesh agent and a last mesh agent based on forwarding the request to mesh agents on the route. If the request is provided to the last mesh agent credential information for the resource may be provided to the last mesh agent and the last mesh agent, the request and the credential information may be employed to access the resource.

Claims (135)

1. A method for managing access to network resources in a network using one or more processors that are configured to execute instructions, wherein the execution of the instructions enables performance of actions, comprising:

providing a plurality of mesh agents for an overlay network, wherein each mesh agent is hosted on one or more network computers in the overlay network;

in response to a request from a client to access a resource on the network, determining a first mesh agent configured to provide the client with ingress to the overlay network;

in response to a security engine validating the request received from the first mesh agent, determining a route in the overlay network from the client to the resource, wherein each portion of the route corresponds to one or more other mesh agents, and wherein a last mesh agent in the route is enabled to provide access to the resource;

generating a secure tunnel between the first mesh agent and the last mesh agent based on forwarding the request to one or more mesh agents on the route in the overlay network, wherein the request is validated at each mesh agent in the route by the security engine; and

in response to providing the request to the last mesh agent, performing further actions, including:

providing credential information for the resource to the last mesh agent;

employing the last mesh agent, the request and the credential information to access the resource, wherein the last mesh agent obtains a response to the request from the resource; and

providing the response to the client via the secure tunnel; and

in response to the secure tunnel failing a periodic validation, performing further actions, including:

disabling the client from accessing the resource; and

discarding the secure tunnel.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the secure tunnel, further comprises:

providing each mesh agent associated with the route a list of one or more candidate mesh agents that each enable access to a next portion of the route, wherein the list is arranged based on one or more characteristics of the one or more candidate mesh agents;

determining a next mesh agent in the route based on the list of one or more candidate mesh agents; and

forwarding the request to the next mesh agent.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

employing the last mesh agent to generate activity information based on the request and the response from a server;

generating an authenticity token based on the activity information;

providing the authenticity token to the security engine; and

storing the activity information in one or more data stores that are separate from the security engine.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein validating the request at each mesh agent in the route, further comprises:

employing the request to determine one or more access rules and a user associated with the resource; and

validating the request based on the one or more access rules and the user, wherein the request is forwarded to one of another mesh agent in the route or the resource.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring one or more performance metrics associated with the plurality of mesh agents; and

modifying the route based on the one or more performance metrics.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to the last mesh agent receiving an error message from the resource, performing further actions, including:

modifying the error message to exclude sensitive information; and

providing the modified error message to the client via the secure tunnel.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein each mesh agent is configurable to operate as an ingress agent or an egress agent.

8. A system for method for managing access to network resources, comprising:

a network computer, comprising:

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that perform actions, including:

providing a plurality of mesh agents for an overlay network, wherein each mesh agent is hosted on one or more network computers in the overlay network;

in response to a request from a client to access a resource on the network, determining a first mesh agent configured to provide the client with ingress to the overlay network;

in response to a security engine validating the request received from the first mesh agent, determining a route in the overlay network from the client to the resource, wherein each portion of the route corresponds to one or more other mesh agents, and wherein a last mesh agent in the route is enabled to provide access to the resource;

generating a secure tunnel between the first mesh agent and the last mesh agent based on forwarding the request to one or more mesh agents on the route in the overlay network, wherein the request is validated at each mesh agent in the route by the security engine; and

in response to providing the request to the last mesh agent, performing further actions, including:

providing credential information for the resource to the last mesh agent;

employing the last mesh agent, the request and the credential information to access the resource, wherein the last mesh agent obtains a response to the request from the resource; and

providing the response to the client via the secure tunnel; and

in response to the secure tunnel failing a periodic validation, performing further actions, including:

disabling the client from accessing the resource; and

discarding the secure tunnel; and

a client computer, comprising:

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that enable performance of actions, including:

providing the request.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein generating the secure tunnel, further comprises:

providing each mesh agent associated with the route a list of one or more candidate mesh agents that each enable access to a next portion of the route, wherein the list is arranged based on one or more characteristics of the one or more candidate mesh agents;

determining a next mesh agent in the route based on the list of one or more candidate mesh agents; and

forwarding the request to the next mesh agent.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network computer processors execute instructions that perform further actions comprising:

employing the last mesh agent to generate activity information based on the request and the response from a server;

generating an authenticity token based on the activity information;

providing the authenticity token to the security engine; and

storing the activity information in one or more data stores that are separate from the security engine.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein validating the request at each mesh agent in the route, further comprises:

employing the request to determine one or more access rules and a user associated with the resource; and

validating the request based on the one or more access rules and the user, wherein the request is forwarded to one of another mesh agent in the route or the resource.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network computer processors execute instructions that perform further actions comprising:

monitoring one or more performance metrics associated with the plurality of mesh agents; and

modifying the route based on the one or more performance metrics.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more network computer processors execute instructions that perform further actions comprising:

in response to the last mesh agent receiving an error message from the resource, performing further actions, including:

modifying the error message to exclude sensitive information; and

providing the modified error message to the client via the secure tunnel.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein each mesh agent is configurable to operate as an ingress agent or an egress agent.

15. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes instructions for managing access to network resources over a network, wherein execution of the instructions by one or more processors on one or more network computers enables performance of actions, comprising:

providing a plurality of mesh agents for an overlay network, wherein each mesh agent is hosted on one or more network computers in the overlay network;

in response to a request from a client to access a resource on the network, determining a first mesh agent configured to provide the client with ingress to the overlay network;

in response to a security engine validating the request received from the first mesh agent, determining a route in the overlay network from the client to the resource, wherein each portion of the route corresponds to one or more other mesh agents, and wherein a last mesh agent in the route is enabled to provide access to the resource;

generating a secure tunnel between the first mesh agent and the last mesh agent based on forwarding the request to one or more mesh agents on the route in the overlay network, wherein the request is validated at each mesh agent in the route by the security engine; and

in response to providing the request to the last mesh agent, performing further actions, including:

providing credential information for the resource to the last mesh agent;

employing the last mesh agent, the request and the credential information to access the resource, wherein the last mesh agent obtains a response to the request from the resource; and

providing the response to the client via the secure tunnel; and

in response to the secure tunnel failing a periodic validation, performing further actions, including:

disabling the client from accessing the resource; and

discarding the secure tunnel.

16. The media of claim 15 , wherein generating the secure tunnel, further comprises:

providing each mesh agent associated with the route a list of one or more candidate mesh agents that each enable access to a next portion of the route, wherein the list is arranged based on one or more characteristics of the one or more candidate mesh agents;

determining a next mesh agent in the route based on the list of one or more candidate mesh agents; and

forwarding the request to the next mesh agent.

17. The media of claim 15 , further comprising:

employing the last mesh agent to generate activity information based on the request and the response from a server;

generating an authenticity token based on the activity information;

providing the authenticity token to the security engine; and

storing the activity information in one or more data stores that are separate from the security engine.

18. The media of claim 15 , wherein validating the request at each mesh agent in the route, further comprises:

employing the request to determine one or more access rules and a user associated with the resource; and

validating the request based on the one or more access rules and the user, wherein the request is forwarded to one of another mesh agent in the route or the resource.

19. The media of claim 15 , further comprising:

monitoring one or more performance metrics associated with the plurality of mesh agents; and

modifying the route based on the one or more performance metrics.

20. The media of claim 15 , further comprising:

in response to the last mesh agent receiving an error message from the resource, performing further actions, including:

modifying the error message to exclude sensitive information; and

providing the modified error message to the client via the secure tunnel.

21. A network computer for managing access to network resources, comprising:

a memory that stores at least instructions; and

one or more processors that execute instructions that enable performance of actions, including:

providing a plurality of mesh agents for an overlay network, wherein each mesh agent is hosted on one or more network computers in the overlay network;

in response to a request from a client to access a resource on the network, determining a first mesh agent configured to provide the client with ingress to the overlay network;

in response to a security engine validating the request received from the first mesh agent, determining a route in the overlay network from the client to the resource, wherein each portion of the route corresponds to one or more other mesh agents, and wherein a last mesh agent in the route is enabled to provide access to the resource;

generating a secure tunnel between the first mesh agent and the last mesh agent based on forwarding the request to one or more mesh agents on the route in the overlay network, wherein the request is validated at each mesh agent in the route by the security engine; and

in response to providing the request to the last mesh agent, performing further actions, including:

providing credential information for the resource to the last mesh agent;

employing the last mesh agent, the request and the credential information to access the resource, wherein the last mesh agent obtains a response to the request from the resource; and

providing the response to the client via the secure tunnel; and

in response to the secure tunnel failing a periodic validation, performing further actions, including:

disabling the client from accessing the resource; and

discarding the secure tunnel.

22. The network computer of claim 21 , wherein generating the secure tunnel, further comprises:

providing each mesh agent associated with the route a list of one or more candidate mesh agents that each enable access to a next portion of the route, wherein the list is arranged based on one or more characteristics of the one or more candidate mesh agents;

determining a next mesh agent in the route based on the list of one or more candidate mesh agents; and

forwarding the request to the next mesh agent.

23. The network computer of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising:

employing the last mesh agent to generate activity information based on the request and the response from a server;

generating an authenticity token based on the activity information;

providing the authenticity token to the security engine; and

storing the activity information in one or more data stores that are separate from the security engine.

24. The network computer of claim 21 , wherein validating the request at each mesh agent in the route, further comprises:

employing the request to determine one or more access rules and a user associated with the resource; and

validating the request based on the one or more access rules and the user, wherein the request is forwarded to one of another mesh agent in the route or the resource.

25. The network computer of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising:

monitoring one or more performance metrics associated with the plurality of mesh agents; and

modifying the route based on the one or more performance metrics.

26. The network computer of claim 21 , wherein the one or more processors execute instructions that perform actions, further comprising:

in response to the last mesh agent receiving an error message from the resource, performing further actions, including:

modifying the error message to exclude sensitive information; and

providing the modified error message to the client via the secure tunnel.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded May 26, 2026
From: STRONGDM, INC.
To: DELINEA INC.
Reel/Frame 074757/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 17, 2022
From: CIRELLO FILHO, CARLOS ULDERICO; MCCARTHY, JUSTIN ALLAN; CRAWFORD, BRITT VANDERMAST
To: STRONGDM, INC.
Reel/Frame 060835/0128 →
Cited By (9)
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