Security extensions using at least a portion of layer 2 information or bits in the place of layer 2 information
First Claim
1. A method for authenticating a party to a transaction, the method comprising:
- receiving a packet having at least a part of layer 2 header information replaced with a unique bit string;
examining at least a part of the unique bit string;
comparing the at least a part of the unique bit string examined with stored information; and
authenticating the party only if the at least a part of the unique bit string examined matches the stored information;
wherein the at least a part of the unique bit string examined depends on a type of the transaction, the type being a type of financial transaction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Using information applied to a packet at an ingress port of a network for enhancing security such as user authentication for example. Such authentication may be applied in addition to (i.e., as an extension of) other authentication measures. The information applied to a packet may be “context information” which replaces at least some bits of layer 2 information (e.g., a header). Users or customers may define security policies. They may define different security policies for different types of transactions. They may also define security policies based on the location from which the transaction originated. If the customer is an organization with different classes of users, it may define different security policies based on the type of transaction, the location from which the transaction originated, and/or the class of user. The class of user may be identified based on at least a part of the “context information”. At least a part of the context information may also be used to monitor a location from which a transaction originated, thereby permitting fraudulent uses to be traced.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for authenticating a party to a transaction, the method comprising:
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receiving a packet having at least a part of layer 2 header information replaced with a unique bit string; examining at least a part of the unique bit string; comparing the at least a part of the unique bit string examined with stored information; and authenticating the party only if the at least a part of the unique bit string examined matches the stored information; wherein the at least a part of the unique bit string examined depends on a type of the transaction, the type being a type of financial transaction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for authenticating a party to a transaction, the method comprising:
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a) applying a unique bit string to layer 2 header information of packets entering the network, the unique bit string uniquely identifying the party and an ingress location of the network; b) examining at least a part of the unique bit string; c) comparing the at least a part of the unique bit string examined with stored information; and d) approving a transaction only if the at least a part of the unique bit string examined matches the stored information; wherein the at least a part of the unique bit string examined depends on a type of the transaction, the type being a type of financial transaction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for authenticating a party to a transaction, the apparatus comprising:
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a) an input for accepting an authentication request, the authentication request including a packet having at least a part of a layer 2 header information replaced with a unique bit string; b) storage means for storing authentication information; c) means for examining at least a part of the unique bit string; d) a comparison facility for comparing the at least a part of the unique bit string examined with the stored authentication information; and e) means for authenticating a party to a transaction only if the at least a part of the unique bit string examined matches the stored authentication information; wherein the at least a part of the unique bit string examined depends on a type of the transaction, the type being a type of financial transaction. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification