MANAGEMENT OF USER AUTHENTICATION

• US 20100037301A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Gareth Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2115 Third party
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32

Abstract

A method and system for managing user authentication. First authentication data associated with a user is received from a first authentication mechanism. The first authentication data is generated in response to the first authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user. In response to receipt of the first authentication data, a first identifier associated with the user is registered. The first authentication data is associated with the first identifier. In response to associating the first authentication data with the first identifier, second authentication data associated with the user is received from a second authentication mechanism. The second authentication data is generated in response to the second authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user. The second authentication data is associated with the first authentication data and the first identifier.

Claims

1. A method for managing user authentication, said method comprising:

receiving from a first authentication mechanism, first authentication data associated with a user, wherein the first authentication data is generated in response to the first authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user;

registering, in response to receipt of the first authentication data, a first identifier associated with the user;

associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

receiving from a second authentication mechanism, in response to said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier, second authentication data associated with the user, wherein the second authentication data is generated in response to the second authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user; and

associating the second authentication data with the first authentication data and the first identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising providing access to an entity, in response to:

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier;

or

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier and said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the entity is a third webpage from which the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism can be accessed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first identifier is not used as an authentication mechanism for the third webpage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first authentication data comprises a first authentication identifier associated with the user and a first authentication key, and wherein the second authentication data comprises a second authentication identifier associated with the user and a second authentication key.

6. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

using the first authentication key to retrieve first data content; and

using the second authentication key to retrieve second data content.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first data content represents data associated with a first webpage, and wherein the second data content represents data associated with a second webpage.

8. The method of claim 6, said method further comprising:

responsive to successfully registering the first identifier associated with the user, associating the first data content and the second data content with the first identifier, the first authentication data, and the second authentication data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating the second authentication data with the first authentication data and the first identifier is executed in a first session, and wherein the said method further comprises:

responsive to the first authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user in a second session, using the first authentication data to retrieve the associated first identifier and the second authentication data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said associating the second authentication data with the first authentication data and the first identifier is executed in a first session, and wherein the said method further comprises:

responsive to the second authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user in a second session, using the second authentication data to retrieve the associated first identifier and the first authentication data.

12. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising:

performing an action in response to the second authentication data being associated with the first identifier and a fourth identifier, wherein the fourth identifier is registered with the user, wherein the first identifier is different from the fourth identifier, and wherein said performing the action comprises performing a first action or performing a second action, wherein the first action is associating the first identifier and the fourth identifier, and wherein the second action is not associating the first identifier and the fourth identifier and generating an alert.

11. The method of claim 11, said method further comprising:

performing an action in response to the first authentication data being associated with the first identifier and a fourth identifier, wherein the fourth identifier is registered with the user, wherein the first identifier is different from the fourth identifier, and wherein said performing the action is selected from the group consisting of associating the first identifier and the fourth identifier, not associating the first identifier and the fourth identifier and generating an alert, and a combination thereof.

13. A computer system comprising a processor and a computer readable storage medium, said storage medium containing program code configured to be executed by the processor to implement a method for managing user authentication, said method comprising:

receiving from a first authentication mechanism, first authentication data associated with a user, wherein the first authentication data is generated in response to the first authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user;

registering, in response to receipt of the first authentication data, a first identifier associated with the user;

associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

receiving from a second authentication mechanism, in response to said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier, second authentication data associated with the user, wherein the second authentication data is generated in response to the second authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user; and

associating the second authentication data with the first authentication data and the first identifier.

14. The computer system of claim 13, said method further comprising providing access to an entity, in response to:

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier;

or

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier and said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the entity is a third webpage from which the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism can be accessed.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the first identifier is not used as an authentication mechanism for the third webpage.

17. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code therein, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm configured to implement a method for managing user authentication, said method comprising:

receiving from a first authentication mechanism, first authentication data associated with a user, wherein the first authentication data is generated in response to the first authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user;

registering, in response to receipt of the first authentication data, a first identifier associated with the user;

associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

receiving from a second authentication mechanism, in response to said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier, second authentication data associated with the user, wherein the second authentication data is generated in response to the second authentication mechanism successfully authenticating the user; and

associating the second authentication data with the first authentication data and the first identifier.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, said method further comprising providing access to an entity, in response to:

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier;

said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier;

or

said associating the first authentication data with the first identifier and said associating the second authentication data with the first identifier.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the entity is a third webpage from which the first authentication mechanism and the second authentication mechanism can be accessed.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the first identifier is not used as an authentication mechanism for the third webpage.