Amazon patents system to keep digital IDs working across cloud regions
This patent describes a method for managing secure digital identities in cloud computing environments spread across different geographic locations. It allows a single unique ID to be recognized by multiple independent security centers, so if one center fails, another can take over without resetting the ID or disrupting service.
In the filing’s own words
Approaches presented herein relate to the management of secure secrets in a distributed environment. In particular, various embodiments provide for the management of unique digital identities across multiple regions, where each region can include its own certificate authority. While these certificate authorities may operate independently, they can be part of a multi-primary system where unique identities and keys are stored redundantly across environments. In the event of a failure of a certificate authority in one region, another certificate authority in another region can continue security and authentication management, without a need to issue new identities or change operation of any of the regions. Parties to secure communications, such as application containers, can each receive their own unique identity which can be shared across various regions to allow related tasks (e.g., certificate issuance or revocation) to be performed identically from any of those regions.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method, comprising: generating, by a first secure token authority in a first region of a plurality of geographic regions, a unique identity for a resource instance in the first region, wherein the first secure token authority generates one or more unique identities for one or more resource instances in the first region and a second region of the plurality of geographic regions; providing the unique identity to the resource instance, wherein the resource instance is authenticated using the unique identity; initiating, by the first secure token authority, a transaction identified by a unique serial number to provide the unique identity to at least a second secure token authority in the second region; issuing, using the first secure token authority in the first region or the second secure token authority in the second region, a certificate associated with the unique identity; and performing an authentication action on behalf of the resource instance using the certificate.
Facts
- Company
- Amazon (Amazon Technologies, Inc.)
- Official title
- Managing unique secrets in distributed systems
- Patent number
- US12744679B2
- Application number
- 17947957
- Filed
- Sep 19, 2022
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H04L 9/3268 Electricity & electronicsH04L 9/321 Electricity & electronicsMore from Amazon in Security & privacy
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.