Method and system for transmitting authentication context information

• US 7,761,909 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Barrett, Michael Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Powers, William S
• Application Number:
  US11/673,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20070136586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 713182-186, 726/4, 705/51
• US Class Current: 726/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• 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 63/205 involving negotiation or determination of the one or more network security mechanisms to be used, e.g. by negotiation between the client and the server or between peers or by selection according to the capabilities of the entities involved negotiation of communication capabilities H04L69/24

Abstract

A system of the present invention uses an identity provider to provide the authentication services for multiple service providers. An identity provider communicates with one or more service providers. A user that wishes to gain access to a service provider is authenticated though the use of the identity provider. A user desiring to access a service provider is first authenticated by the identity provider. The identity provider determines if the user meets the desired class level and provides various information related to the authentication. When the user attempts to access a second service provider that is associated with the same identity provider, the second service provider accesses the identity provider and determines that the user was recently authenticated. The identity provider then transmits the relevant information regarding the authentication process to the second service provider, which can then allow or deny the user access to the second service provider.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating an authentication of a user comprising:

a first computer system configured to verify an identity of said user, and configured to transmit to a second computer system authentication information, wherein said authentication information comprises characteristics regarding a process used to initially associate user credentials to said user, and physical controls of a facility housing said first computer; and

said second computer system configured to provide services to said user based upon whether said authentication information received from said first computer system substantially complies with a predetermined class established by said second computer system, wherein said second computer system communicates with said first computer system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer system is further configured to provide at least one of information regarding a process used to verify said identity, procedural security controls of said first computer, and how a secret is kept secure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said second computer system is configured to request additional authentication credentials from said first computer system in response to determining that said process used to verify said identity does not substantially comply with a predetermined class established by said second computer system.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a third computer system configured to provide services to said user, wherein said third computer system communicates with said first computer system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said information transmitted by said first computer system comprises a predefined XML schema.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein said authentication information is transmitted using a predetermined XML schema.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said second computer system is further configured to transmit said user credentials to said first computer system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said first computer system is further configured to receive authentication information relating to said user from a third computer system.

6. A method for facilitating authentication of a user comprising:

receiving, at a first computer system, information indicative of an identity of said user;

verifying, by said first computer system, said identity of said user; and

transmitting, by said first computer system, authentication information from said first computer system to a second computer system, wherein said authentication information includes characteristics regarding a process used to initially associate user credentials to said user, and physical controls of a facility housing said first computer, and wherein said second computer system allows access to said second computer system provided that said authentication information substantially complies with said predetermined class established by said second computer system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said authentication information further comprises at least one of:

information regarding a process used to verify said identity, data identifying said first computer, procedural security controls of said first computer, data identifying previous verifications of said user, and how a secret is kept secure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a request from said second computer system to said first computer system for additional authentication credentials is in response to determining that said authentication information does not substantially comply with a predetermined class established by said second computer system.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said class is at least one of:

indicative of information used in said verifying step, contains data regarding the method of authentication used in performing said verifying step, and contains data regarding security characteristics of said first computing system.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing data regarding said verifying step from said first computer system to said third computer system,

wherein said user attempts to access a third computer system, coupled to said first computer system, wherein said third computer system determines that said user was verified by said first computer system, and wherein said third computer system allows

access to said third computer system provided that said authentication information substantially complies with a predetermined class established by said third computer system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, in response to said third computer rejecting access to said third computing system in response to said authentication information not complying with a predetermined class established by said third computer system and in response to submitting additional information indicative of the identity of said user to a first computer system, said first computer system verifies said identity of said user and transmits data regarding said verifying to said third computer system, wherein in response, said third computer system allows access to said third computer system provided that said data complies with a predetermined class established by said third computer system.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said second computer system transmits a request to said first computer system for additional authentication in response to said process used to verify said identity at said first computer system not substantially complying with a predetermined class established by said second computer system.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein said second computer system transmits said user credentials to said first computer system.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising receiving information relating to said user from a third computer system.

18. A method for facilitating authentication of a user comprising:

receiving, by a second computer system and from a first computer system, authentication information, wherein said authentication information includes characteristics regarding a process used to initially associate user credentials to said user, and physical controls of a facility housing said first computer, wherein said first computer system receives information indicative of an identity of said user and verifies said identity of said user; and

allowing, by said second computer system, access to said second computer system provided that said authentication information substantially complies with said predetermined class established by said second computer system.