User Authentication Via Mobile Communication Device With Imaging System

• US 20120159591A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NortonLifeLock Inc.
• Original Assignee: Symantec Corporation (NortonLifeLock Inc.)
• Inventors: Payne, Charles Andrew, Cooley, Shaun
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3228 One-time or temporary data, i.e. information which is sent for every authentication or authorization, e.g. one-time-password, one-time-token or one-time-key
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

A graphical authentication identifier is used to facilitate automatic authentication of a user. A graphical identifier authentication system receives a request from an authenticating entity for a onetime use graphical authentication identifier. In response to the received request, a onetime use graphical authentication identifier to be displayed by the authenticating entity is generated. A request for user authentication information by the authenticating entity is encoded in the graphical authentication identifier, which is transmitted to the authenticating entity for display (e.g., on a login screen). The onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity is captured by a registered user operated computing device. In response, the requested user authentication information is transmitted to the authenticating entity, such that the user is automatically authenticated to the authenticating entity, without the user manually entering the requested user authentication information.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for using a graphical authentication identifier to automatically authenticate a user, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a onetime use graphical authentication identifier to be displayed by an authenticating entity, by at least one computer;

encoding a request for user authentication information by the authenticating entity in the onetime use graphical authentication identifier, by the at least one computer; and

responsive to a registered user operated computing device capturing the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity, transmitting the requested user authentication information to the authenticating entity, by the at least one computer, such that the user is automatically authenticated to the authenticating entity, without the user manually entering the requested user authentication information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request for a graphical authentication identifier from the authenticating entity, by the at least one computer; and

transmitting the generated graphical authentication identifier to the authenticating entity, by the at least one computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein encoding the request for user authentication information in the onetime use graphical authentication identifier further comprises:

encoding an identification of specific authenticating information being requested by the authenticating entity, by the at least one computer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein:

the received request for the graphical authentication identifier further identifies the specific authenticating information being requested by the authenticating entity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, by the at least one computer from the user operated computing device, a request to automatically complete authentication of the user to the authenticating entity, responsive to the user operated computing device having captured the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the request received by the at least one computer from the user operated computing device further comprises the authentication information requested by the authenticating entity.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein:

the request received by the at least one computer from the user operated computing device further identifies what specific authentication information is being requested by the authenticating entity.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the requested authentication information comprises at least a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity, the method further comprising;

responsive to the user operated computing device capturing the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity, generating a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the authenticating entity further comprises a website.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the user operated computing device further comprises a mobile communication device.

11. At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program product for using a graphical authentication identifier to automatically authenticate a user, the computer program product comprising:

program code for generating a onetime use graphical authentication identifier to be displayed by an authenticating entity;

program code for encoding a request for user authentication information by the authenticating entity in the onetime use graphical authentication identifier; and

program code for, responsive to a registered user operated computing device capturing the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity, transmitting the requested user authentication information to the authenticating entity, such that the user is automatically authenticated to the authenticating entity, without the user manually entering the requested user authentication information.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program code for receiving a request for a graphical authentication identifier from the authenticating entity; and

program code for transmitting the generated graphical authentication identifier to the authenticating entity.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the program code for encoding the request for user authentication information in the onetime use graphical authentication identifier further comprises:

program code for encoding an identification of specific authenticating information being requested by the authenticating entity.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein:

the received request for the graphical authentication identifier further identifies the specific authenticating information being requested by the authenticating entity.

15. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising:

program code for receiving, from the user operated computing device, a request to automatically complete authentication of the user to the authenticating entity, responsive to the user operated computing device having captured the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein:

the request received from the user operated computing device further comprises the authentication information requested by the authenticating entity.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein:

the request received from the user operated computing device further identifies what specific authentication information is being requested by the authenticating entity.

18. The computer program product of claim 11 wherein:

the requested authentication information comprises at least a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity, the computer program product further comprising;

program code for, responsive to the user operated computing device capturing the onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by the authenticating entity, generating a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity.

19. A computer implemented method for using a graphical authentication identifier to automatically authenticate a user, the method comprising the steps of:

capturing, by a user operated computing device, a onetime use graphical authentication identifier being displayed by an authenticating entity;

interpreting, by the user operated computing device, the graphical authentication identifier as a request by the authenticating entity for authentication information; and

initiating, by the user operated computing device, completion of automatic authentication of the user to the authenticating entity, without the user manually entering the requested user authentication information.

20. The method of 19 further comprising:

interpreting, by the user operated computing device, the graphical authentication identifier as a request by the authenticating entity for authentication information comprising at least a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity;

generating, by the user operated computing device, a second factor authentication rolling value that is predictable by the authenticating entity; and

transmitting the generated second factor authentication rolling value to at least one remote computer as part of the initiating of the completion of the automatic authentication of the user to the authenticating entity.