TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION USING NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20140181955A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Certicom Corporation (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: ROSATI, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 9,594,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/18
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0042 the transmitted data signal containing a code which is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/14 With a sequence of inputs of different identification information
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/069 using certificates or pre-shared keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

There is provided a method and apparatus for communications using short range communications such as Near Field Communications (NFC). A mobile device comprising an NFC subsystem provides a dynamic credential for use to login to a network requiring two factor authentication. A terminal used for logging in to the network is associated with an NFC reader, and bringing the NFC device in proximity to the NFC reader provides the terminal with the dynamic credential required for two factor authentication.

Claims

1. A method at an short range communications capable device for providing a dynamic credential to a terminal, the method comprising:

receiving, utilizing near field communications, an application identifier from a reader associated with the terminal;

computing, within a secure element of the short range communications capable device, the dynamic credential; and

transmitting the dynamic credential to the reader.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein computing the dynamic credential is performed by an applet running on the secure element of the short range communications capable device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the application identifier indicates two factor authentication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic credential is updated periodically.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the dynamic credential is computed based on a current time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the short range communications capable device includes a powered timer circuit.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the current time is received at the short range communications capable device from the reader.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the short range communications capable device is a near field communications (NFC) capable device, including an NFC subsystem powered by induction when placed in proximity to the reader.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a challenge at the short range communications capable device; and

transmitting a response, the response encrypted or signed with a key of the short range communications capable device and for use in authentication of the short range communications capable device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the key is stored in a secure element of the short range communications capable device.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving an indication at the short range communications capable device, that authentication was successful.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the key is associated to the application identifier.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the response includes the dynamic credential in a payload field.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic credential is for a login to a network requiring two factor authentication.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the short range communications capable device is a mobile communications device.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the short range communications capable device is a dedicated dynamic credential providing device.

17. A short range communications capable device for providing a dynamic credential to a terminal, the short range communications capable device comprising:

an antenna;

a controller; and

at least one secure element,

wherein the antenna, controller and at least one secure element are configured to;

receive an application identifier from a reader associated with the terminal;

compute, within a secure element of the short range communications capable device, the dynamic credential; and

transmit the dynamic credential to the reader.

18. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the antenna, controller and at least one secure element are further configured to compute the dynamic credential using an applet running on the secure element of the short range communications capable device.

19. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the application identifier indicates two factor authentication.

20. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the dynamic credential is updated periodically.

24. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the short range communications capable device is a near field communications (NFC) capable device powered by induction when placed in proximity to the reader.

25. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the antenna, controller and at least one secure element are further configured to:

receiving a challenge at the short range communications capable device;

transmitting a response, the response encrypted or signed with a key of the short range communications capable device and for use in authentication of the short range communications capable device.

26. The short range communications capable device of claim 25, wherein the key is stored in a secure element of the short range communications capable device.

27. The short range communications capable device of claim 17, wherein the dynamic credential is for a login to a network requiring two factor authentication.

21. The short range communications capable device of claim 21, wherein the dynamic credential is computed based on a current time.

22. The short range communications capable device of claim 21, wherein the short range communications capable device includes a powered timer circuit.

23. The short range communications capable device of claim 21, wherein the current time is received at the NFC capable device from the NFC reader.