Social authentication for account recovery
First Claim
1. One or more computer-readable storage devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, configure a computer to perform acts comprising:
- receiving, from an account holder of an account with a remote service, identification of a plurality of entities as trustees for an account recovery process for recovering access to the account with the remote service;
subsequent to the initiation of the account recovery process, transmitting, by one or more devices associated with the remote service, a respective account recovery code to each of the plurality of entities identified as trustees for the account, the respective account recovery codes being distinct from one another;
receiving, by the one or more devices associated with the remote service, at least a predefined number of distinct account recovery codes from the account holder over a network;
verifying, by the one or more devices associated with the remote service, the account holder at least in part in response to the receiving of at least the predefined number of distinct account recovery codes of the account recovery codes from the account holder; and
providing account recovery information to the account holder based at least in part on the verifying the account holder.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A backup account recovery authentication of last resort using social authentication is described. The account holder requests trustees who have been previously identified to obtain an account recovery code. The account recovery system sends a communication to the trustee for information to verify the trustee as one of the previously identified trustees. The account recovery system then may transmit a link and code with instructions for the trustee to return the link. The account recovery system then transmits a situational query to the trustee to provide additional security. Finally, if all the communications have been completed for the required level of security, the account recovery code is transmitted to the trustee. The trustee sends the account recovery code to the account holder for access to an account.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. One or more computer-readable storage devices storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, configure a computer to perform acts comprising:
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receiving, from an account holder of an account with a remote service, identification of a plurality of entities as trustees for an account recovery process for recovering access to the account with the remote service; subsequent to the initiation of the account recovery process, transmitting, by one or more devices associated with the remote service, a respective account recovery code to each of the plurality of entities identified as trustees for the account, the respective account recovery codes being distinct from one another; receiving, by the one or more devices associated with the remote service, at least a predefined number of distinct account recovery codes from the account holder over a network; verifying, by the one or more devices associated with the remote service, the account holder at least in part in response to the receiving of at least the predefined number of distinct account recovery codes of the account recovery codes from the account holder; and providing account recovery information to the account holder based at least in part on the verifying the account holder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method, comprising:
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under control of one or more processors of one or more devices associated with a service, receiving, from an account holder of an account with the service, a designation of a plurality of trustees as trustees for an account recovery process; receiving, by the one or more devices associated with the service, a request from at least one trustee of the plurality of trustees for an account recovery code, the account recovery code for use by the account holder in conjunction with one or more other account recovery codes sent to other trustees of the plurality of trustees during the account recovery process, sending, to the at least one trustee, by the one or more devices associated with the service, the account recovery code. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising:
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under control of one or more processors of one or more devices associated with a first entity configured with specific executable instructions, receiving, from an account holder of an account with the first entity, identification of a plurality of second entities as trustees for an account recovery process; receiving a request to initiate the account recovery process; subsequent to the initiation of the account recovery process, transmitting, by the one or more devices associated with the first entity, a respective account recovery code to at least two of the plurality of second entities identified as trustees for the account; receiving, from the account holder, at least a predefined number of distinct account recovery codes of the account recovery codes; and verifying, by the one or more devices associated with the first entity, the account holder at least in part in response to the receiving of at least the predefined number of distinct account recovery codes of the account recovery codes from the account holder. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification