Secure Information Storage and Delivery System and Method

• US 20120131656A1
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aura Sub, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intersections Incorporated (Aura Sub, LLC)
• Inventors: SLATON, Jonathan, JOHNSON, Ryan B., TRAN, Toan, REED, David, RAVINDRAN, Abhilash, TSANTES, George K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,601,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security

Abstract

A system for secure information storage and delivery includes a vault repository that includes a secure vault associated with a user, wherein the secure vault is configured to receive at least one data entry. A mobile vault server coupled to the vault repository creates a mobile vault on a mobile device based on the secure vault and is capable of authenticating the mobile device based on user authentication information. The mobile vault server includes a mobile device handler that communicates with the mobile device. A synchronization utility determines whether the at least one data entry on the secure vault is transferable to or storable on the mobile vault. and transfers the data entry from the secure vault to a corresponding data entry on the mobile vault if the at least one data entry on the secure vault is determined to be transferable to or storable on the mobile vault.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating user access to a secure vault in a vault repository comprising:

receiving, at the vault repository, user identification information from a user for verifying the identity of the user;

determining whether the user identification information is valid;

if the user identification information is valid, transmitting a soft token to a computing device associated with the user, the soft token configured to generate a first single use password;

receiving, at the vault repository, the first single use password generated by the soft token;

generating a second single use password at the vault repository; and

authenticating the user to access the secure vault based on the first and the second single use passwords.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user identification information comprises a username and a password associated with the user and wherein the identity of the user is verified based on the username and password.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft token generates the single use password using a mathematical algorithm based on a previously generated single use password.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft token generates the single use password based on time-synchronization between a single use password server and the soft token.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the soft token generates the single use password using a mathematical algorithm based on a challenge and a counter.

6. A secure information storage and delivery method comprising:

creating a first secure vault associated with a user in a vault repository, the first secure vault being adapted to securely store data;

receiving, at the vault repository, at least one data entry associated with the user;

storing the at least one data entry in the first secure vault;

receiving, at the vault repository, user identification information from a user;

determining whether the user identification information is valid;

if the user identification information is valid, transmitting a soft token to a computing device associated with the user, the soft token configured to generate a first single use password;

receiving, at the vault repository, the first single use password generated by the soft token;

generating a second single use password at the vault repository; and

authenticating the user to access the first secure vault based on the first and second single use passwords.

7. The secure information storage and delivery method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving, at the vault repository, a request for data, including a destination address;

identifying the data in the first secure vault that corresponds to the request;

forwarding the identified data to the destination address.

8. The secure information storage and delivery method of claim 7,

wherein the request for data further includes a delivery mode, and

wherein the identified data in the first secure vault is formatted, according to the delivery mode, for delivery to the destination address.

9. The secure information storage and delivery method of claim 8, wherein the identified data is formatted for delivery via facsimile.

10. The secure information storage of claim 8, wherein the identified data is formatted for delivery via email.

11. The secure information storage and delivery method of claim 8, wherein the identified data is formatted for delivery via a SMS message.

12. The secure information storage and delivery method of claim 6, further comprising:

creating a second secure vault on the user computing device for securely storing at least one data entry associated with a user;

synchronizing the second secure vault with the first secure vault by transferring the at least one data entry from one of the first secure vault or the second secure vault to a corresponding data entry in the other of the first secure vault or the second secure vault.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium for authenticating user access to a secure vault in a vault repository, the computer readable medium storing program instructions, which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform the steps of:

receiving, at the vault repository, user identification information from a user for verifying the identity of the user;

determining whether the user identification information is valid;

if the user identification information is valid, transmitting a soft token to a computing device associated with the user, the soft token configured to generate a first single use password;

receiving, at the vault repository, the first single use password generated by the soft token;

generating a second single use password at the vault repository; and

authenticating the user to access the secure vault based on the first and the second single use passwords.

14. A secure information storage system comprising:

a vault repository including a first secure vault associated with a user, the secure vault being adapted to receive and securely store at least one data entry;

a vault server coupled to the vault repository, the vault server being configured to communicate with a computing device associated with the user through a network;

wherein the vault server is configured to transmit a soft token to the user computing device, the soft token configured to generate a first single use password at the user computing device; and

wherein the vault repository generates a second single use password and authenticates the user to access the first secure vault based on the first and second single use passwords.

15. The secure information storage system of claim 14, wherein the vault server is further configured to create a second secure vault on the user computing device for receiving and storing at least one data entry associated with the user, the second secure vault on the user computing device being capable of synchronization with the first secure vault in the vault repository.

16. The secure information storage system of claim 15, wherein the vault server synchronizes the second secure vault on the user computing device with the first secure vault in the vault repository by transferring the at least one data entry from one of the first secure vault or the second secure vault to a corresponding data entry in the other of the first secure vault or the second secure vault.

17. The secure information storage system of claim 16, wherein either the at least one data entry in the first secure vault or the at least one data entry in the second secure vault is transferred to a corresponding data entry in the other of the first secure vault or the second secure vault depending on whether the data entry in the first secure vault or the data entry in the second secure vault was last updated.

18. The secure information storage system of claim 14, wherein the soft token generates the single use password using a mathematical algorithm based on a previously generated single use password.

19. The secure information storage and delivery system of claim 14, wherein the soft token generates the single use password based on time-synchronization between a single use password server and the soft token.

20. The secure information storage and delivery system of claim 14, wherein the soft token generates the single use password using a mathematical algorithm based on a challenge and a counter.

21. The secure information storage of claim 14, wherein the vault server is configured to:

receive a request for data, including a destination address, from the user computing device;

identify the data in the first secure vault that corresponds to the request; and

forward the identified data to the destination address.