Methods, systems and computer program products for secure access to information

• US 8,613,059 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2009
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Workday Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Novack, Brian M., Birkes, Jerry, Drake, Alton W. II, Toretti, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desrosiers, Evans
• Application Number:
  US12/641,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 8, 726 22- 33, 709/225, 709/229, 713/150, 713168-174, 713182-186
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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

Abstract

Methods for secure communications are provided. The methods include creating a safe user account on a secure access system, wherein creating an account includes provision of at least one strong authenticator to be associated with a user of the secure access system; providing a unique login and the at least one strong authenticator associated with the user to the secure access system to gain access to information associated with a referring organization, the referring organization being registered with the secure access system; and accessing the information associated with the referring organization based on the unique login and the at least one strong authenticator provided to the secure access system. Related systems and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of providing secure communications, comprising:

receiving, at a processor associated with a secure access system, a request to create, on the secure access system, a safe user account for a user to enable the user to access resources associated with a referring organization, the user associated with an identification, the identification associated with the referring organization;

in response to the request, providing, by the processor, a plurality of types of authenticators for association with the safe user account;

receiving, by the processor, a selection of a type of authenticator;

in response to receiving the selection of the type of authenticator, providing, by the processor to the user, a message requesting setup information associated with an authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selected;

in response to receiving the setup information, creating the safe user account for the user and associating the authenticator with the safe user account; and

receiving, at the processor from the user, the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account to gain access to the resources associated with the referring organization.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to receiving the request to create the safe user account, receiving an attempt to access the referring organization from a legacy logon screen associated with the referring organization.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to receiving the request to create the safe user account, providing a challenge message to the user, the challenge message comprising a first email having a link to the secure access system, wherein the message requesting the setup information associated with the authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selector comprises a second email.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after receiving the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account from the user, receiving a selection to register a web site of the referring organization with the secure access system; and

providing a registration confirmation email to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing access to the resources associated with the referring organization based on validity of the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators comprises voice biometrics, soft token, fob token, fingerprint biometrics, passwords, pass phrases, PIN and device authenticator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators provided corresponds to a level of security of the resources associated with the referring organization.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the referring organization defines the plurality of types of authenticators provided.

9. A system for providing secure communications, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising

receiving a request to create, on a secure access system, a safe user account for a user to enable the user to access resources associated with a referring organization, the user associated with an identification, the identification associated with the referring organization,

in response to the request, providing a plurality of types of authenticators for association with the safe user account,

receiving a selection of a type of authenticator,

in response to receiving the selection of the type of authenticator, providing a message to the user of the safe user account, the message requesting setup information associated with an authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selected, the authenticator associated with the safe user account,

in response to receiving the setup information, creating the safe user account for the user and associating the authenticator with the safe user account, and

receiving, from the user, the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account to gain access to the resources associated with the referring organization.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory comprises further computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising prior to receiving the request to create the safe user account, receiving an attempt to access the referring organization a legacy logon screen associated with the referring organization.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory comprises further computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising in response to receiving the request to create the safe user account, providing a challenge message to the user, the challenge message comprising a first email having a link to the secure access system, wherein the message requesting the setup information associated with the authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selector comprises a second email.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory comprises further computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

after receiving the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account from the user, receiving a selection to register a web site of the referring organization with the secure access system; and

providing a registration confirmation email to the user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators comprises voice biometrics, soft token, fob token, fingerprint biometrics, passwords, pass phrases, PIN and device authenticator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators provided corresponds to a level of security of the resources associated with the referring organization being accessed.

15. A computer readable medium device comprising computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to create, on a secure access system, a safe user account for a user to enable the user to access resources associated with a referring organization, the user associated with an identification, the identification associated with the referring organization;

in response to the request, providing a plurality of types of authenticators for association with the safe user account;

receiving a selection of a type of authenticator;

in response to receiving the selection of the type of authenticator, providing a message to a user of the safe user account, the message requesting setup information associated with an authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selected, the authenticator associated with the safe user account;

in response to receiving the setup information, creating the safe user account for the user and associating the authenticator with the safe user account; and

receiving, from the user, the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the secure user account to gain access to the resources of the referring organization.

16. The computer readable medium device of claim 15, comprising further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising prior to receiving the request to create the safe user account, receiving an attempt to access the referring organization from a legacy logon screen associated with the referring organization.

17. The computer readable medium device claim 15, comprising further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising in response to receiving the request to create the safe user account, providing a challenge message to the user, the challenge message comprising a first email having a link to the secure access system, wherein the message requesting the setup information associated with the authenticator corresponding to the type of authenticator selector comprises a second email.

18. The computer readable medium device of claim 15, comprising further computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

after receiving the identification associated with the referring organization and the authenticator associated with the safe user account, receiving a selection to register a web site of the referring organization with the secure access system; and

providing a registration confirmation to the user.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators comprises voice biometrics, soft token, fob token, fingerprint biometrics, passwords, pass phrases, PIN and device authenticator.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of types of authenticators provided corresponds to a level of security of the resources associated with the referring organization being accessed.