Method and system for approving a password

• US 20010004759A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 06/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Networks (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Heikki, Osmonen
• Application Number:
  US09/777,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20010004759A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/46 by designing passwords or checking the strength of passwords
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment

Abstract

Method and system for approving a password corresponding to a user identifier in a user identification system in which the user identifier is associated with a user profile and in which the password consists of characters comprised in a total range of characters. According to the invention, a data item indicating whether the password should contain a character belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters is added to the user profile.

Claims

1. Method for approving a password corresponding to a user identifier in a user identification system in which the user identifier is associated with a user profile and the password consists of characters comprised in a total range of characters, characterised in that a data item indicating whether the password should contain a character belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters is added to the user profile.

2. Method as defined in

claim 1

, characterised in that a data item indicating a minimum number of characters belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters that are to be included in the password is added to the user profile.

3. Method as defined in

claim 1

or

2

, characterised in that a check is performed in the user identification system to verify whether the number of characters belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters that are included in the password is as required in the user profile.

4. Method as defined in any one of claims 1-3, characterised in that, when a password is being changed, a check is performed before approval of the new password to verify the number of characters in the password that belong to a predefined subset in the total range of characters.

5. System for approving a password corresponding to a user identifier in a user identification system in which the user identifier is associated with a user profile and in which the password consists of characters comprised in a total range of characters, characterised in that the user identification system comprises means (1) for adding to the user profile a data item indicating the presence in the password of a character belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters.

6. System as defined in

claim 5

, characterised in that the user identification system comprises means (2) for adding to the user profile a data item indicating a minimum number of characters belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters that should be included in the password.

7. System as defined in

claim 5

or

6

, characterised in that the user identification system comprises means (3) for comparing and verifying the number of characters in the password that belong to a predefined subset in the total range of characters and the number of characters required in the user profile.

8. System as defined in any one of claims 5-7, characterised in that the user identification system comprises means (4) for checking the password to verify the number of characters belonging to a predefined subset in the total range of characters when a password is being changed, before the new password is approved.