System and method of wireless security authentication

• US 8,312,559 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Walrath, Craig A., Doragh, Philip H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zee, Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/698,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,118 Days
• Field of Search: 726/16, 726/17, 726/20, 726/34, 726/36, 726/18, 726/19, 713/182, 713/185, 713/300, 713/310, 713/330
• US Class Current: 726/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication

Abstract

A wireless security authentication system comprises a wireless element configured to determine validity of a user credential to enable use of a computing system, the wireless element powered by inductive coupling.

Claims

1. A wireless security authentication method executed by a computing system, comprising:

receiving, at the computing system, a user credential from a wireless security token that is external to the computing system;

determining, by the computing system, validity of the user credential to enable use of the computing system, the user credential validated using an element powered by inductive coupling with the wireless security token, wherein the element is in the computing system, wherein the user credential is validated by the computing system before the computing system powers on and before a central processing unit (CPU) of the computing system is powered; and

powering on the CPU and loading an operating system in response to validating the user credential.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to determining that the user credential is valid, allowing the computing system to begin a boot-up process.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, in response to determining that the user credential is not valid, preventing the computing system from beginning the boot-up process.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to determining that the user credential is valid, verifying that the user credential remains valid.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the user credential includes data that is unique to a person who carries the wireless security token.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, shutting off power to the computing system in response to the wireless security token being moved outside of a communication range of the computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user credential is stored on the wireless security token that includes a transmit button that is actuable to cause the wireless security token to transmit the user credential to the computing system.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

allowing the computing system to remain in a power-on state while the wireless security token containing the user credential is within wireless communication range of the computing system;

freezing a user session of the computing system when the wireless security token is out of a wireless communication range of the computing system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, shutting down the computing system in response to the wireless security token containing the user credential moving out of a wireless communication range of the computing system.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, automatically logging out a user from a user session with the computing system in response to the wireless security token storing the user credential moving out of a wireless communication range of the computing system.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to determining that the user credential is valid, determining an access level of use of the computing system using the user credential.

12. A computer, comprising:

a wireless element to receive a user credential from a portable security token before the computer powers on and to determine validity of the user credential before enabling the computer to power on, wherein the wireless element is powered by inductive coupling;

a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the wireless element is to determine validity of the user credential prior to the CPU being powered on; and

a controller to cause power to be supplied to the CPU in response to determining that the user credential is valid.

13. The computer of claim 12, wherein the controller is to power off the computer in response to the portable security token moving out of a wireless range of the wireless element.

14. The computer of claim 12, wherein the controller to power on the computer and begin a boot-up process to load an operating system in response to determining that the user credential is valid.

15. The computer of claim 12, wherein the wireless element is configured to verify that the portable security token remains within wireless communication range of the computer.

16. The computer of claim 12 wherein the controller is configured to prevent power from being supplied to the CPU in response to determining that the user credential is not valid.

17. The computer of claim 12 further comprising a security module configured to, in response to determining that the user credential is valid, trigger a security response if the user credential becomes invalid.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the security response comprises at least one of freezing a user session, logging out a user, powering-off the computer, sounding an audible alarm, initiating a visual alarm, and sending an alert to a remote device.

19. The computer of claim 12, wherein the wireless element is configured to, in response to determining that the user credential is valid, verify that the user credential remains valid.

20. A computer comprising:

a power controller;

a power supply coupled to the power controller;

a wireless authorization element coupled to the power controller, the wireless authorization element to receive a user credential and determine validity of the user credential before powering on and commencing a boot-up process of the computer, wherein the wireless authorization element is powered by inductive coupling;

a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the wireless authorization element is to determine validity of the user credential prior to the CPU being powered on; and

wherein the power controller is to cause power to be supplied to the CPU in response to determining that the user credential is valid.

21. The computer of claim 20, wherein the wireless authorization element is to prevent the power supply from providing power to power on the computer when the user credential is not validated.

22. The computer of claim 20, wherein the wireless authorization element is to freeze a user session on the computer when a portable security token that includes the user credential moves out of a wireless communication range of the computer.

23. The computer of claim 20, wherein the wireless authorization element is to prevent the computer from performing a boot-up process when the user credential is not validated.

24. The computer of claim 20, wherein the wireless authorization element is to automatically power off the computer when a portable security token that includes the user credential moves out of a wireless communication range of the computer, and wherein the wireless authorization element is powered by inductive coupling with the portable security token.

25. A wireless security authentication system, comprising:

a computing device having a processing element configured to, without drawing power from a power supply of the computing device, determine validity of a user credential to enable use of the computing device by a user, wherein the computing device is to determine the validity of the user credential before the computing device powers on, the processing element being powered by inductive coupling, and

wherein the computing device further comprises;

a central processing unit (CPU), wherein the processing element is to determine validity of the user credential prior to the CPU being powered on; and

a controller to cause power to be supplied to the CPU in response to determining that the user credential is valid.

26. The wireless security authentication system of claim 25, wherein the user credential uniquely identifies a user.

27. A wireless security authentication system, comprising:

a computing device having a secure power controller configured to prevent power from being supplied to a central processing unit (CPU) of the computing device until a wireless element in the computing device verifies validity of a user credential to enable use of the computing device by a user, wherein the wireless element is to verify the validity of the user credential before the computing device powers on and begins a boot-up process, and the wireless element is powered by inductive coupling.