System and method to curb identity theft

• US 20070050638A1
• Filed: 08/19/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mehran Rasti
• Original Assignee: Mehran Rasti
• Inventors: Rasti, Mehran
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083

Abstract

Personal identity-identifiers such as social security numbers, finger prints, and biometric identifiers are fixed for life; once disclosed they can not reliably be used to authenticate the identity of a person claiming to own the identity-identifier(s). This limitation is overcome by introduction of one or more identity-passwords that are related, attached, or commingled together through a preset “rule”. Authentication methodologies claimed by this invention use a three-way-cross-authentication among three entities; a person to be authenticated, an entity requesting the authentication, and a trustee that issues, keeps, and verifies identity-data. Such methodologies can trace back the entitlement of one or more identity-identifiers to its correct owner through a three-way-cross-match of its identity-passwords. Specific methods are described to authenticate one'"'"'s social security number, credit card number, door pass, computer software licenses, and the like. Another method is described that eliminates the need for business to ask for peoples'"'"' identity-identifiers.

Claims

1. A “

complex-data-item”

that is formed by combining one of the identity-identifiers of a person with a series of digits and/or characters that is changeable from time-to-time, the latter being referred to as identity-password(s).

2. The identity-identifier in claim 1 may be a person'"'"'s social security number, a person'"'"'s finger print, his/her iris patterns, and/or other biometric identifiers.

3. The identity-identifier in claim 1 may be one or more credit card number(s), access codes, or permissions of some sort, and/or any information that identifies and/or validates a person'"'"'s identity.

4. Identity-password(s) in claim 1 may be a list of passwords that are either issued by a trustee organization overseeing and managing such passwords, or are user selected through secure communication and/or internet interfaces that are provided and managed by a trustee organization.

5. A complex-data-item of claim 1 is formed by applying a pre-designated process or a “

rule”

to full or partial personal-identifier(s) with one or more changeable identity-passwords in claim 1, through

a. a one-to-one data-element association,

b. a one-to-many data-element association,

c. a concatenation of data items in claim 1,

d. an application of series of pre-determined complex encryption algorithms to the two data sets,

e. any one the above methods by itself, or

f. any combinations thereof.

6. A three way method of authentication that is performed by the interaction of three independent entities amongst themselves, to compare and verify all component data elements that comprise a complex-data-item, comprising

a. initiation of an identity authentication process by an entity that needs to learn the result of an intended identity authentication;

b. asking a person whose identity is to be authenticated to disclose or input to the entity that is to perform the identity authentication

i. one or more of the person'"'"'s identity-identifier(s),

ii then current identity-password(s) that is/are associated with identity-identifier(s),

iii a predetermined, set “

rule”

, if any, that associate or combine the identity data items being operated on;

c. a trustee organization that

i. has been supplied with, or is in possession of a person'"'"'s full or partial identity-identifier(s) to be authenticated,

ii. is aware or has been furnished with current identity-password(s) to be used in the identity-authentication process,

iii. is the one to have set the “

rule”

used in the make up of a complex-data-item, and/or is being furnished the “

rule”

, and

iv. is charged with the task of reporting a “

true”

or “

false”

authentication result to the requesting entity, at the conclusion of the requested identity-authentication process.

7. A collection of three entities of claim 6 to conduct identity-authentication, comprising:

(a) an interested entity that performs the authentication, and is usually the one initiating and managing the authentication process;

(b) a person whose identity is being authenticated and claims the ownership of a complex-data-item to be authenticated;

(c) a trustee entity that manages passwords and conducts a comparison of the transmitted data elements and the rule making up a complex-data-item with the like data items on its data base for the known person (identity-identifier).

8. A method by which an assortment of required identity-password(s), identity-identifier(s), value of a “

rule-flag”

, and/or a complex-data-item are input, stored, processed, and/or transmitted to the trustee for identity-authentication by means of a detachable (USB) memory-processor-module when connected to a host device such as a cell-phone, PDA, computer, door opener and the like that is capable of capturing personal and/or biometric attribute(s) and to transmit the said identity-data-stream via wired or wireless means.