User authentication method and system using user's e-mail address and hardware information

• US 20050165698A1
• Filed: 05/26/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasoo, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fasoo Com Co Ltd
• Inventors: Kim, In Gee, Cho, Ku Gon, Kim, Kyu Soo, Kang, Ho Gab
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/67
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint

Abstract

A user authentication method of authenticating a user on an on-line basis using a user'"'"'s e-mail address and hardware information is provided. The user authentication method includes the steps of: transmitting a user'"'"'s authentication client platform hardware information and e-mail address to an authentication server module through an authentication client module installed in the authentication client platform; and the authentication client module determining user authentication according to whether or not the e-mail address and hardware information received from the authentication server module is identical to user'"'"'s e-mail address and hardware information stored in an authentication database. A user'"'"'s authentication request and authentication is confirmed through an e-mail in the case that authentication fails in the primary authentication process. The user authentication method performs authentication by using a user'"'"'s hardware information and e-mail address, their uniqueness of which is verified. Accordingly, since a user'"'"'s password is not required, inconveniences of reissuing the user'"'"'s password due to losing the same can be reduced.

Claims

1. A user authentication method of authenticating a user in an authentication server module using a user'"'"'s authentication client hardware information and e-mail address, the user authentication method comprising the steps of:

downloading the authentication client module from the authentication server module and installing the authentication client module in a case where an authentication client module has not been installed in a user'"'"'s authentication client platform;

said authentication client module transmitting the user'"'"'s e-mail address and authentication client platform hardware information; and

determining user authentication according to whether or not the e-mail address and hardware information received from the authentication server module is identical to a user'"'"'s e-mail address and hardware information stored in an authentication database.

2. The user authentication method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

said authentication server module transmitting a confirmation e-mail to the user in the case that an e-mail address which is identical to the received e-mail address does not exist in the authentication database;

said user transmitting an identifier of the user'"'"'s e-mail address and the hardware information of the authentication client platform, by using the received confirmation e-mail; and

said authentication server module recognizing the identifier of the e-mail as a response e-mail for the confirmation e-mail transmitted to the user, storing the user'"'"'s hardware information in the authentication database, and performing user authentication registration.

3. The user authentication method of claim 2, wherein the confirmation e-mail is made up of a message written in a hypertext markup language (HTML), and thus if the message is clicked, the e-mail identifier and the user'"'"'s hardware information are transmitted to the authentication server module.

4. The user authentication method of claim 2, wherein the confirmation e-mail is attached with an execution file, and thus after the confirmation e-mail has been transmitted to a user and then the attached execution file is executed by the user, the e-mail identifier and the user'"'"'s authentication client platform hardware information are transmitted to the authentication server.

5. The user authentication method of claim 1, wherein if a plurality of pieces of hardware information for the user'"'"'s authentication client platform are searched and displayed by the authentication client module, the corresponding hardware information is selected or determined as a higher priority sequence by the user.

6. The user authentication method of claim 1, wherein a user can receive authentication for a plurality of authentication client platforms from the authentication server module according to a server operator'"'"'s policy.

7. The user authentication method of claim 1, wherein the hardware information is an inherent identification symbol which is permanently input for each device when being manufactured by a hardware manufacturer in which the inherent identification symbol cannot be changed unduly, and which can be recognized by a software program readable in the authentication client module.

8. The user authentication method of claim 1, wherein the authentication client platform can transmit and receive an e-mail via a network.