Method, apparatus, and system for sending credentials securely

• US 8,234,697 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Chhabra, Jasmeet
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US12/058,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20090249462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/83 input devices, e.g. keyboards, mice or controllers thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/356 Aspects of software for card payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3567 Software being in the reader
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/35765 Access rights to memory zones
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 19/208 Use of an ATM as a switch or hub
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer

Abstract

A software application executing in a first local operating environment may be used to connect to a remote server that requires a credential of a user to complete a transaction. In a second local operating environment that operates external to the first local environment a user may be authenticated based on a user input received in the second local operating environment. The credential of the user may be securely communicated to the remote server from the second local operating environment. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

connecting to a remote server using a software application executing in a host operating environment of a user device, wherein the remote server requires a credential of a user to complete a transaction;

receiving the credential in a secure input mode where input from an input device of the user device is received exclusively into the embedded operating environment and is not visible to the host operating environment;

authenticating, in an embedded operating environment, a user based on a user input received in the embedded operating environment, the embedded operating environment local to the user device, being embedded on a hardware platform of the user device, and operating separately from the host operating environment, where operations executed on the embedded operating environment are not visible to the host operating environment; and

communicating the credential of the user to the remote server from the embedded operating environment via an out-of-band connection inaccessible to the host operating environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the credential is accessible only in the embedded operating environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software application comprises a plugin to communicate with the embedded operating environment.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising:

connecting to a database server using the software application executing in the host operating environment; and

in the embedded operating environment, receiving from the database server a command request string for completing the transaction.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is a login transaction.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising accepting the credential in the embedded operating environment in a secure input mode not visible to the host operating environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the embedded operating environment comprises a manageability engine.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising encrypting the credential in the embedded operating environment before the credential is communicated to the remote server.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a computing platform to host a host operating environment, the host operating environment to execute a software application to connect to a remote server, the remote server requiring a credential of a user to complete a transaction, and to host an embedded operating environment embedded on the hardware platform, the embedded operating environment to authenticate a user based on a user input received in the embedded operating environment and to communicate the credential of the user to the remote server via an out-of-band connection inaccessible to the host operating environment,

wherein the embedded operating environment is to operate separately from the host operating environment, where operations executed on the embedded operating environment are not visible to the host operating environment; and

an input device to collect the user input for reception in the embedded operating environment including receive the credential in a secure input mode where input from the input device of the apparatus is received exclusively into the embedded operating environment and is visible to the host operating environment.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the credential is accessible only in the embedded operating environment.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the software application comprises a plugin to communicate with the embedded operating environment.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

the software application is to connect to a database server; and

the embedded operating environment is to receive from the database server an https string for completing the transaction.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the transaction is a login transaction.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the embedded operating environment is a manageability engine.

15. A method comprising:

connecting to a remote application from a host operating environment of a user device, the remote application requiring a credential for completion of a transaction;

confirming that the remote application supports completing the transaction from a secure embedded operating environment, the secure embedded operating environment local to the user device, being embedded on a hardware platform of the user device, and operating separately from the host operating environment, where operations executed on the embedded operating environment are not visible to the host operating environment;

receiving in the secure embedded operating environment via an out-of-band connection a string for completing the transaction, the out-of-band connection being inaccessible to the host operating environment;

in the secure embedded operating environment, determining a user is authorized to complete the transaction based on a user input to the secure embedded operating environment, including obtaining the credential in a secure input mode where input from an input device of the user device is received exclusively into the embedded operating environment; and

if the user is authorized to complete the transaction, communicating the credential to the remote application via the out-of-band connection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein confirming comprises:

connecting to a database of supported applications; and

confirming an entry referencing the remote application is in the database.

17. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving in the secure embedded operating environment from the remote application session information after completing the transaction; and

passing the session information to the host operating environment.

18. A processor-readable storage medium having stored thereon, instructions that, if executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

connecting to a remote server using a software application executing in a host operating environment of a user device, wherein the remote server requires a credential of a user to complete a transaction;

receiving the credential in a secure input mode where input from an input device of the user device is received exclusively into the embedded operating environment and is not visible to the host operating environment;

authenticating, in an embedded operating environment, a user based on a user input received in the embedded operating environment, the embedded operating environment local to the user device, being embedded on a hardware platform of the user device, and operating separately from the host operating environment, where operations executed on the embedded operating environment are not visible to the host operating environment; and

communicating the credential of the user to the remote server from the embedded operating environment via an out-of-band connection inaccessible to the host operating environment.

19. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that if executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method wherein the credential is accessible only in the embedded operating environment.

20. The processor-readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that if executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the method wherein the software application comprises a plugin to communicate with the embedded operating environment.