System for three level authentication of a user

• US 8,407,762 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TATA Consultancy Services Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bidare, Prasanna
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US12/915,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20120005735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 726/7
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/082 applying multi-factor authentication cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3226 using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/77 Graphical identity

Abstract

A system and method for three level authentication of a user has been disclosed. The system 100 performs three level authentication: first level being selection of at least one predefined image from a plurality of images including decoy images; second level being selection of at least one predefined tile in the tiled version of the selected images to generate a transaction key; and the third level being entering a transaction key generated after first and second level are successfully completed, which is used for final account login and grant of transaction rights. The authentication is done on user'"'"'s computing node 110 by communicating with authentication server 102 for first and second level authentication and the transaction key for third level authentication being generated by transaction key generating server 124 and transmitted on to user'"'"'s computing node.

Claims

1. A system for authenticating a user, said system performing three level authentication on the basis of selection of at least one predefined image from a plurality of images including decoy images and further selection of at least one predefined tile in the tiled version of the selected images to generate a transaction key, said system comprising:

an authentication server comprising

an authentication repository storing user authentication data including at least one password image serving as correct response for a first level authentication challenge, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile serving as correct response for second level authentication challenge;

first authentication challenge generation means adapted to generate a first level authentication challenge for the user by formulating a group of images including a plurality of decoy images and said at least one password image to be displayed on user'"'"'s computing node;

transmitting means adapted to transmit said first level authentication challenge, at least one password image, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile on to a user'"'"'s computing node;

user'"'"'s computing node receiving said first level authentication challenge, at least one password image, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile, said user'"'"'s computing node including

displaying means adapted to display the group of images contained in said received first level authentication challenge;

first selection means adapted to allow the user to select at least one image from the plurality of images displayed on the computing node;

second authentication challenge generation means adapted to generate second level authentication challenge by displaying the tiled version of the password image containing a plurality of tiles in case the selected image is the password image;

frame locomotion means adapted to provide an outlining frame randomly moving across each of the plurality of tiles after a finite delay;

second selection means adapted to allow the user to select at least one tile currently outlined by said outlining frame from the plurality of tiles displayed on the computing node; and

authenticating message generation means adapted to generate authenticating message in case the selected tile is the password tile;

a transaction key generating server cooperating with said user'"'"'s computing node and configured to transmit a transaction key to said user'"'"'s computer node on receiving an authenticating message from said authentication message generation means, said transaction key to be used for final account login and grant of transaction rights.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second authentication challenge generation means includes first sequence checking means adapted to check the sequence of selection of images, selected in the previous stage in case of multiple password images serving as correct response for first level authentication challenge.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said authenticating message generation means includes second sequence checking means adapted to check the sequence of selection of tiles, selected in the previous stage in case of multiple password images serving as correct response for second level authentication challenge.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said computing node is selected from the group consisting of mobile phone, PDA, iPOD, iPAD, computer, laptop, and TV.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein transaction key is entered on a second computing means.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits said first level authentication challenge and tiled version of password image on to a user'"'"'s computing node using connection selected from the group consisting of GSM connection, CDMA connection, internet, GPRS, Bluetooth, RFID and EDGE.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system includes conventional authentication means adapted to challenge user to enter correct alphanumeric username and password to continue authentication.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said authentication repository is populated during user registration phase.

9. A method for authenticating a user, said method performing three level authentication on the basis of selection of at least one predefined image from a plurality of images including decoy images and further selection of at least one predefined tile in the tiled version of the selected images to generate a transaction key, said method comprising the steps of

storing user authentication data including at least one password image serving as correct response for a first level authentication challenge, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile serving as correct response for second level authentication challenge;

generating a first level authentication challenge for the user by formulating a group of images including a plurality of decoy images and said at least one password image to be displayed on user'"'"'s computing node;

transmitting first level authentication challenge, at least one password image, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile on to a user'"'"'s computing node;

receiving said first level authentication challenge, at least one password image, tiled version of password image and at least one password tile displaying the group of images contained in said received first level authentication challenge;

selecting at least one image from the plurality of images displayed on the computing node;

generating second level authentication challenge by displaying the tiled version of the password image containing a plurality of tiles in case the selected image is the password image;

providing an outlining frame randomly moving across each of the plurality of tiles after a finite delay;

selecting at least one tile currently outlined by said outlining frame from the plurality of tiles displayed on the computing node;

generating authenticating message in case the selected tile is the password tile and transmitting said authenticating message to a transaction key generating server; and

transmitting a transaction key to the user'"'"'s computing node on receiving an authenticating message, using said transaction key for final account login and grant of transaction rights.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said method includes the step of challenging the user to enter correct alphanumeric username and password to continue authentication.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of storing user authentication data in the authentication repository is performed during user registration phase.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of selecting at least one image from the plurality of images displayed on the computing node includes the step of checking the sequence of selection of images, selected in the previous stage in case of multiple password images serving as correct response for first level authentication challenge.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of generating authenticating message in case the selected tile is the password tile includes the step of checking the sequence of selection of tiles, selected in the previous stage in case of multiple password tiles serving as correct response for second level authentication challenge.