Enhanced network server authentication using a physical out-of-band channel

• US 20080091618A1
• Filed: 09/30/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Macdonald, George M., Hansen, Gary G., Obrea, Andrei, Campagna, Matthew J., Parkos, Arthur J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/76
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/42 using separate channels for security data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2103 Challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials

Abstract

Systems and methods for increasing user trust by authenticating an electronic commerce server over an electronic communications channel using information received through an out-of-band communication in a physical communications channel are described. In one configuration, a paper bill is sent to a user by physical mail delivery and it includes challenge and response data used to authenticate the electronic commerce server over the electronic communications channel.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a web site using an in-band electronic communications channel and authentication comprising:

receiving a communication including web site authentication data including challenge data and response data through an out-of-band physical delivery communications channel;

sending the challenge data to the web site using the in-band electronic communications channel;

receiving reply response data from the web site using the in-band electronic communications channel; and

comparing the reply response data with the response data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the out-of-band physical delivery channel is the United States Postal Service system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site is controlled by an entity and the communication is a statement from the web site controlling entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the web site is controlled by an entity and the communication is a statement from a financial institution including a charge from the web site controlling entity.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication includes communication authentication indications.

5. A method for providing web site authentication data to a user in response to a challenge from the user using an in-band electronic communications channel comprising:

receiving a challenge from the user through the in-band communications channel;

determining the appropriate response data associated with the challenge authentication data received from the user; and

sending the determined reply response data to the user using the in-band electronic communications channel, wherein

the authentication data was sent to the user in a communication through an out-of-band delivery channel.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

generating the response data using an appropriate key.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the key is a symmetric key.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the out-of-band delivery channel is a physical delivery channel.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the out-of-band delivery channel is the United States Postal Service system.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the web site is controlled by an entity and the communication is a statement from the web site controlling entity.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein the web site is controlled by an entity and the communication is a statement from a financial institution including a charge from the web site controlling entity.

19. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

obtaining pre-computed response data associated the challenge for use in providing reply response data in response to the challenge;

20. The method of claim 5 wherein the user is authenticated to the web site.

12. A method for providing electronic commerce vendor web site authenticating data to a user through an out-of-band physical channel comprising:

obtaining challenge/response pair data for use in providing an out-of-band communication to the user;

receiving statement data for the user from the vendor;

generating a statement including the challenge/response pair data; and

inducting the statement into the out-of-band physical channel directed toward the user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each challenge/response pair is associated with a particular user.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving additional vendor information for at least one additional vendor; and

wherein the challenge/response pair data included in the statement includes challenge/response pair data for the vendor and the at least one additional vendor.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the statement is a financial vendor statement including at least one charge.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one additional vendor is associated with at least one charge listed on the statement.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the at least one additional vendor is associated with at least one charge to the financial institution by the user in a previous billing cycle.