Method for protecting secret information in a system for reporting an emergency when secret information is accessed

• US 8,577,807 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mnemonic Security Limited
• Original Assignee: Mnemonic Security Limited
• Inventors: Kokumai, Hitoshi, Masuno, Ryuhei, Kuriyama, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nigh, James D
• Application Number:
  US11/731,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20090328162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,412 Days
• Field of Search: 705/50
• US Class Current: 705/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2127 Bluffing

Abstract

Disclosed are protection of secret information in a system for reporting an emergency such as theft or confinement when secret information is accessed. Secret information includes a large quantity of data and a piece/pieces of true and correct data mixed into the data. The secret data including the data and the true and correct data is two-dimensional code data the code of which is composed of groups of cells having different areas. The positions and order of storage of the true and correct data dispersedly mixed in the data are determined and reported to the user. The user adds a predetermined alerting signal when inputting the password to tell that the user is under control of a third party. The system can detect the alerting signal and know that the user is in an abnormal state, performs normal identification procedures, and takes protection/preservation measures. Part of data is specified as confinement report data and added to the true and correct data. Consequently at least a piece of confinement report data is included and therefore the user himself is judged to be under control of the third party. Then the user is identified and a confinement report alert is issued.

Claims

1. A method for reporting an emergency such as theft or confinement based upon authentication data recorded in a user authentication data recording medium in a user authentication system comprising:

recording a user authentication data recording medium with authentication data so that when matching data inputted by an input operation of an authenticated person matches between an authentication terminal unit having said user authentication data recording medium therein and an authentication control side unit, then authentication is completed,

interspersing a plurality of matching data comprised of plural items of true data and plural items of false data, said true and false data comprising two dimensional code data, said matching data is selected from the group consisting of symbols, graphics pictures and photos;

upon recording said plurality of matching data on said recording medium, a person to be authenticated determines true data by way of selecting plural items of locations or characteristics and orders out of the plurality of matching data and selects from remaining items of the plurality of matching data to be false data and further determines a part of the false data to be confinement informing data; and

executing using an authentication computer following actions of;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if plural items of true data are selected from the user authentication data recording medium in a correct order, then determining that true authentication data is selected and then validating the user authentication;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if a selected number of items of false data is less than a predetermined number, permitting another authentication access to be made; and

if the selected number of items of false data is equal to or more than the predetermined number, determining that a theft-causing unauthorized access is attempted, invalidating the user authentication, and generating a theft alarm, and further by means of a control center which detects the generated theft alarm preventing subsequent use of said user authentication data recording medium; and

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if plural items of true data are selected from the user authentication data recording medium in a correct order, and if at least one confinement informing data is included in the selection, then determining that true matching data are selected, thus validating user authentication, and further by means of said control center, determining that the user is placed under a control of an unauthorized person and generating a confinement informing alarm, and further, with a false data counter and a true data counter provided in said authentication computer,

upon failure of authentication, if the selected number of items of false data among inputted authentication data is less than a predetermined number, permitting another authentication access to be made,

thus determining, based upon presence of true and correct data including selection order error, high probability of user authentication.

3. The method for reporting an emergency such as theft or confinement according to claim 1, wherein

the number of said authentication data (password) is set to be four;

and

a theft alarm is generated when two or more the false data are inputted, and another authentication access is made possible when two or more true data are inputted.

2. A method for reporting an emergency such as theft or confinement based upon authentication data recorded in a user authentication data recording medium in a user authentication system comprising:

recording a user authentication data recording medium with authentication data so that when matching data inputted by an input operation of an authenticated person matches between an authentication terminal unit having said user authentication data recording medium therein and an authentication control side unit, then authentication is completed,

interspersing a plurality of matching data comprised of plural items of true data and plural items of false data, said true and false data comprising two dimensional code data, said matching data is selected from the group consisting of symbols, graphics pictures and photos;

upon recording said plurality of matching data on said recording medium, a person to be authenticated determines true data by way of selecting plural items of locations or characteristics and orders out of the plurality of matching data and selects from remaining items of the plurality of matching data to be false data and further determines a part of the false data to be confinement informing data; and

executing using an authentication computer following actions of;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if plural items of true data are selected from the user authentication data recording medium in a correct order, then determining that true authentication data is selected and then validating the user authentication;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if a selected number of items of false data is less than a predetermined number, permitting another authentication access to be made;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if plural items of true data are selected from the user authentication data recording medium in a correct order, and if at least one confinement informing data is included in the selection , then determining that true matching data are selected, thus validating user authentication, and further by means of said control center, determining that the user is placed under a control of an unauthorized person and generating a confinement informing alarm;

upon inputting data from the user authentication data recording medium, if the selected number of items of false data included in the input data is equal to or more than the predetermined number, determining that a theft-causing unauthorized access is attempted, invalidating the user authentication, and generating a theft alarm, and further by means of a control center which detects the generated theft alarm preventing subsequent use of said user authentication data recording medium;

and further, with a true data counter provided in said authentication computer,

upon failure of authentication, if the selected number of items of inputted authentication data is greater than a predetermined number, permitting another authentication access to be made, and

processing on error input occurring at authentication failure is distinguished by

a generation of alarm made upon a predetermined number of input of false data that is likely to be caused by authentication by others, and

a permission of another authentication operation made upon an error in selection order of true data that is likely to be caused by user authentication.