Preventing fraudulent internet account access

• US 20060248600A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: O'Neill, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,748,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

A method and system for authenticating requests for accessing network resources are described. Network address information may be associated with a network resource user. An authenticator may maintain the associated network address information. The authenticator may receive, from a requesting party, a request to authenticate the network resource user, where the request may include a network address identifier. The network resource user may be authenticated based on the network address information and the network address identifier. The authentication determination may be forwarded to the requesting party for purposes of controlling access to a network resource of a network resource provider in response to an access request made by the network resource user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

maintaining network address information associated with a network resource user;

receiving a request to authenticate the network resource user, the request including a network address identifier; and

authenticating the network resource user based on the network address information and the network address identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein maintaining network address information comprises maintaining at least one discrete range of network addresses associated with the network resource user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein authenticating comprises selectively establishing an authenticity of the network resource user where the network address identifier is included in the at least one discrete range.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a response to the request, the response including an authenticity of the network resource user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein sending the response comprises selectively requesting verification information, where the authenticity of the network resource user is not established.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving the verification information; and

determining a validity of the verification information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the verification information comprises receiving voice data.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving the verification information comprises receiving biometric data.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending a message that includes the validity determination.

10. A method comprising:

establishing an authorization list including at least one network address, the authorization list being associated with at least one network resource;

receiving a request to access the at least one network resource, where the request includes a source network address; and

controlling access to the at least one network resource based on the authorization list and the source network address.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the authorization list comprises including at least one discrete range of network addresses associated with the at least one network resource.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling access comprises:

providing access to the at least one network resource where the source network address is included in the authorization list; and

restricting access to the at least one network resource where the source network address is not included in the authorization list.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

indicating that access to the at least one network resource has been restricted; and

requesting verification information associated with the at least one network resource be provided.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining whether provided verification information is valid.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising restricting access to the at least one network resource, where the provided verification information is invalid.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

overriding the access restriction where the provided verification information is valid; and

providing access to the at least one network resource.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising adding the source network address to the authorization list.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising revising the authorization list by:

adding at least one additional network address, or

removing the at least one network address.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the authorization list comprises adding, to the authorization list, at least one source network address that has been previously used to access the at least one network resource.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein establishing the authorization list comprises designating a network entity for which associated network addresses are identifiable.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one network address is authorized for prescribed periods.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the prescribed periods comprise at least one day of the week, at least one time of day, or both.

23. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling access comprises:

receiving login information; and

permitting access to the at least one network resource based on the login information, the authorization list, and the source network address.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a server configured to;

pre-authorize at least one network address to connect to the server;

receive a request, from a client device having a source address, to connect to the server;

determine whether the source address has been pre-authorized to connect to the server; and

selectively grant the request based on the determination of whether the source address has been pre-authorized.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one network address comprises a discrete range of network addresses.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the server is further configured to:

indicate that the request has been denied; and

request that verification information be provided to the server.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

selectively grant the request based on the determination of whether the source address has been pre-authorized and the verification information.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive login information; and

selectively grant the request based on the determination of whether the source address has been pre-authorized and the login information.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the server is further configured to:

pre-authorize the least one network address, where the at least one network address has been previously used to connect to the server.

30. A system comprising:

means for receiving, from a client device having a dynamically assigned source network address from a range of network addresses, a request for connection to a network resource;

means for selectively authenticating the source network address, where the source network address is compared to a list of authorized network addresses; and

means for connecting an authenticated source network address to the network resource.