AUTHENTICATION SERVER, AUTHENTICATION METHOD AND AUTHENTICATION PROGRAM

• US 20090187986A1
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: OZEKI, HIROAKI
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2133 Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

Upon receipt of a service use request from a client, an authentication server device reads one or more image information pieces from an image information storage storing multiple image information pieces each containing one or more known symbols, one or more dummy symbols, or both of them, and thereafter creates challenge data using the one or more read image information pieces so that one or more two-dimensional images each containing one or more of the known symbols and one or more two-dimensional images each containing one or more of the dummy symbols can be presented to the user of the client, one image at a time. Upon receipt of response data, the authentication server device judges whether or not the received response data matches the one or more known symbols contained in the challenge data, and approves the service use of the client device if the match is confirmed.

Claims

1. An authentication server device comprising:

an image information storage which stores therein a plurality of image information pieces each containing at least one of one or more known symbols and one or more dummy symbols;

a receiver which receives a service use request from a client device via a network;

a reading unit which reads one or more of the image information pieces from the image information storage in response to receipt of the service use request;

a challenge data creation unit which creates challenge data by using the one or more read image information pieces so that one or more two-dimensional images each containing one or more of the known symbols and one or more two-dimensional images each containing one or more of the dummy symbols are presented in turn to the user of the client device, one image at a time;

a testing unit which transmits the created challenge data to the client device, and which receives corresponding response data from the client device; and

approving means which judges whether or not the received response data matches the one or more known symbols contained in the transmitted challenge data, and which approves the service use of the client device if the match is confirmed.

2. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein the dummy symbols are symbols which are similar to the known symbols in at least one of shape and line width, and which have no particular meaning.

3. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of two-dimensional images each contain an arc at least in a background or a foreground of the two-dimensional images.

4. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein the image information storage stores therein a plurality of two-dimensional images each containing one or more known symbols and a plurality of two-dimensional images each containing one or more dummy symbols.

5. The authentication server device according to claim 4, wherein:

the reading unit reads one or more of the two-dimensional images each containing one or more known symbols and one or more of the two-dimensional images each containing one or more dummy symbols, upon receipt of the service use request, and

the challenge data creation unit creates, as the challenge data, an animation in the animation GIF format, by using the read plurality of two-dimensional images.

6. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein the image information storage stores therein a plurality of three-dimensional image information pieces on a three-dimensional object on a surface of which one or more of the known symbols and one or more of the dummy symbols are shown.

7. The authentication server device according to claim 6, wherein:

the reading unit reads one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon reception of the service use request, and

the challenge data creation unit creates a plurality of two-dimensional images of the three-dimensional object seen from different viewpoints, on the basis of the read three-dimensional image information piece, and then creates, as the challenge data, an animation in the animation GIF format, by using the plurality of two-dimensional images.

8. The authentication server device according to claim 6, wherein:

the reading unit reads one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon receipt of the service use request; and

the challenge data creation unit creates a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional object seen from a predetermined viewpoint, on the basis of the read three-dimensional image information piece, and then creates, as the challenge data, a clickable map in which links are set respectively for a plurality of regions of the two-dimensional image, the links each being a link to a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional object seen from the corresponding region.

9. The authentication server device according to claim 6, wherein:

the reading unit reads one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon receipt of the service use request; and

the challenge data creation unit creates the challenge data containing the three-dimensional image information piece and a program which is to be executed in the client device to enable the user to see the three-dimensional object from any directions.

10. The authentication server device according to claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional image information pieces each contain shape information on the three-dimensional object and color information on the surface of the three-dimensional object.

11. The authentication server device according to claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional object is a sphere formed of a plurality of small spheres.

12. The authentication server device according to claim 11, wherein the color information on the surface of the three-dimensional object is determined so that the known symbols are shown on surfaces of the plurality of small spheres without being distorted.

13. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein the approving means judges whether or not the received response data matches one or more of the known symbols contained in the transmitted challenge data, and approves the service use of the client device if a certain accuracy rate or above is achieved.

14. The authentication server device according to claim 1, wherein

the challenge data creation unit creates a plurality of challenge data,

the testing unit performs a test a plurality of times for the single client device by using the plurality of challenge data,

the approving means judges, for each of the challenge data, whether or not the received response data matches one or more of the known symbols contained in the transmitted challenge data, and approves the service use of the client device if the match is confirmed a predetermined number of times or more.

15. An authentication method performed by an authentication server including an image information storage storing therein a plurality of image information pieces each containing at least one of one or more known symbols and one or more dummy symbols, the authentication method comprising the steps of:

receiving a service use request from a client device via a network;

reading one or more of the image information pieces from the image information storage in response to receipt of the service use request;

creating challenge data by using the one or more read image information pieces so that one or more two-dimensional images each including one or more of the known symbols and one or more two-dimensional images each including one or more of the dummy symbols are presented in turn to the user of the client device, one image at a time;

transmitting the created challenge data to the client device, and receiving corresponding response data from the client device; and

judging whether or not the received response data matches one or more of the known symbols contained in the transmitted challenge data, and approving the service use of the client device if the match is confirmed.

16. The authentication method according to claim 15, wherein the image information storage stores therein a plurality of three-dimensional image information pieces on a three-dimensional object on a surface of which one or more of the known symbols and one or more of the dummy symbols are shown.

17. The authentication method according to claim 16, wherein:

the reading step includes a step of reading one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon reception of the service use request; and

the step of creating challenge data includes a step of;

creating a plurality of two-dimensional images of the three-dimensional object seen from different viewpoints, on the basis of the read three-dimensional image information piece; and

then creating, as the challenge data, an animation in the animation GIF format, the animation using the plurality of two-dimensional images.

18. The authentication method according to claim 16, wherein:

the reading step includes a step of reading one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon receipt of the service use request, and

the step of creating challenge data includes a step of;

creating a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional object seen from a predetermined viewpoint, on the basis of the read three-dimensional image information piece; and

then creating, as the challenge data, a clickable map in which links are set respectively for a plurality of regions of the two-dimensional image, the links each being a link to a two-dimensional image of the three-dimensional object seen from the corresponding region.

19. The authentication method according to claim 16, wherein:

the reading step includes a step of reading one of the three-dimensional image information pieces on the three-dimensional object from the image information storage upon receipt of the service use request, and

the step of creating challenge data includes a step of creating the challenge data containing the three-dimensional image information piece and a program which enables the three-dimensional object to be seen from any directions, and which is to be executed in the client device.

20. An authentication program executed by an authentication server including an image information storage storing therein a plurality of image information pieces each containing one or more known symbols, one or more dummy symbols, or both one or more known symbols and one or more dummy symbols, the authentication program causing the authentication server to execute the steps of:

receiving a service use request from a client device via a network;

reading one or more of the image information pieces from the image information storage in response to receipt of the service use request;

creating challenge data using the one or more read image information pieces so that one or more two-dimensional images each including one or more of the known symbols and one or more two-dimensional images each including one or more of the dummy symbols are presented in turn to the user of the client device, one image at a time, the challenge data being for testing whether or not the user of the client device is human;

transmitting the created challenge data to the client device, and receiving corresponding response data from the client device; and

judging whether or not the received response data matches one or more of the known symbols contained in the transmitted challenge data, and approving the service use of the client device if the match is confirmed.