Behavioral fingerprint based authentication

• US 8,713,704 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2012
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Gerrity, Daniel A., Huang, Xuedong, Dyor, Matthew G., Tegreene, Clarence T., Davis, Marc E., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Malamud, Mark A., Lord, Robert W., Lord, Richard T., Levien, Royce A., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US13/475,564
• Publication Number:
  US 20130104203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/316 by observing the pattern of computer usage, e.g. typical user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2113 Multi-level security, e.g. mandatory access control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

A computationally-implemented method, for certain example embodiments, may include, but is not limited to: determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint. A level of authentication determination may additionally/alternatively include at least determining a behavioral fingerprint via establishing a statistical predictability of one or more future actions of an authorized user of a computing device. A level of authentication determination may additionally/alternatively include at least determining an authentication level with respect to a computing device at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint determined from interaction(s) with another device. In addition to the foregoing, other example aspects are described in the claims, drawings, and written description forming a part of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least circuitry for determining the behavioral fingerprint via establishing a statistical predictability of one or more future actions of an authorized user of the computing device.

2. The computationally-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising:

circuitry for determining via the computing device that the first user has made a request for performance of a task; and

circuitry for performing the task automatically without interference by the first user as a function of the level of authentication associated with the first user.

3. The computationally-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint comprises:

circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication.

4. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein the circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication comprises:

circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more productivity applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication.

5. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein the circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication comprises:

circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more communication applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication.

6. The computationally-implemented system of claim 3, wherein the circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication comprises:

circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more personal information manager applications in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication.

7. The computationally-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint comprises:

circuitry for restricting access via the computing device to one or more automatic tasks that are associated with a predetermined level of authentication of an authorized user in response at least in part to the determining a level of authentication.

8. The computationally-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint comprises:

circuitry for receiving at least a portion of the behavioral fingerprint from at least one server.

9. The computationally-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint comprises:

circuitry for combining the received at least a portion of the behavioral fingerprint with at least another portion of the behavioral fingerprint that is determined responsive to one or more actions of the authorized user that are sensed at the computing device.

10. The computationally-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for determining the behavioral fingerprint via establishing a statistical predictability of one or more future actions of an authorized user of the computing device comprises:

circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user; and

circuitry for applying a statistical value to the sensed one or more actions of the authorized user to establish the statistical predictability of one or more future actions of the authorized user.

11. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for storing the sensed one or more actions of the authorized user.

12. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for detecting the one or more actions of the authorized user wherein the one or more actions of the authorized user include logging into one or more social networks.

13. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for detecting one or more keystrokes on the computing device to determine a pattern of use associated with the authorized user.

14. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for detecting one or more manners for swiping input on the computing device to determine a pattern of use associated with the authorized user.

15. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for detecting one or more contacts frequently interacted with by the authorized user on the computing device to determine an interaction pattern associated with the authorized user.

16. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for sensing one or more actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for storing at least one image of the authorized user for comparison to a detected image of the first user that is obtainable via a camera accessible by the computing device.

17. The computationally-implemented system of claim 10, wherein the circuitry for applying a statistical value to the sensed one or more actions of the authorized user to establish the statistical predictability of one or more future actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for altering the level of authentication associated with the first user as a function of the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user.

18. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry for altering the level of authentication associated with the first user as a function of the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for lowering the level of authentication associated with the first user if one or more actions of the first user includes a detected anomalous action.

19. The computationally-implemented system of claim 18, wherein the circuitry for lowering the level of authentication associated with the first user if one or more actions of the first user includes a detected anomalous action comprises:

circuitry for detecting that the first user has performed an action uncharacteristic of the authorized user and/or that the first user has performed an action previously identified by the authorized user as being an action to cause lowering of the level of authentication.

20. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry for altering the level of authentication associated with the first user as a function of the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for alerting a predetermined set of contacts if the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user in conjunction with one or more detected actions results in a predetermined level of authentication associated with the first user.

21. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry for altering the level of authentication associated with the first user as a function of the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for disabling one or more devices of the authorized user if the level of authentication associated with the first user is lowered to a predetermined level.

22. The computationally-implemented system of claim 17, wherein the circuitry for altering the level of authentication associated with the first user as a function of the statistical predictability of the one or more future actions of the authorized user comprises:

circuitry for disabling at least one functionality of a mobile device of the authorized user if the level authentication of associated with the first user is lowered to a predetermined level.

23. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least circuitry for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network.

24. The computationally-implemented system of claim 23, wherein the circuitry for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network comprises:

circuitry for generating a security certificate associated with an authorized user based at least partially on a cryptographic key; and

circuitry for deriving one or more derived forms of the cryptographic key, with the one or more derived forms capable of being distributed via the at least one social network, to enable reconstruction of the cryptographic key via the gathered data from the at least one social network.

25. The computationally-implemented system of claim 23, wherein the circuitry for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network comprises:

circuitry for obtaining one or more cryptographic key pairs, each cryptographic key pair including a public key and a private key;

circuitry for partitioning the private key into two or more components of the private key, at least a portion of the two or more components of the private key usable to form the reconstructed key; and

circuitry for distributing the at least a portion of the two or more components of the private key to one or more members of the at least one social network.

26. The computationally-implemented system of claim 25, wherein the circuitry for distributing the at least a portion of the two or more components of the private key to one or more members of the at least one social network comprises:

circuitry for distributing the at least a portion of the two or more components of the private key to two or more members of the at least one social network.

27. The computationally-implemented system of claim 23, wherein the circuitry for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network comprises:

circuitry for determining the gathered data from the at least one social network via retrieving one or more components that are derived from a private key from one or more members of the at least one social network, the one or more components usable to form the reconstructed key.

28. The computationally-implemented system of claim 23, wherein the circuitry for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network comprises:

circuitry for determining one or more members of the at least one social network from which to gather the gathered data, each of the one or more members capable of providing at least one component that is adapted to contribute to forming the reconstructed key.

29. A computationally-implemented system, comprising:

circuitry for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least circuitry for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user with respect to the computing device at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint that is based, at least in part, on one or more interactions between another device and an authorized user of the computing device.

30. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint including at least determining the behavioral fingerprint via establishing a statistical predictability of one or more future actions of an authorized user of the computing device.

31. At least one processor-accessible medium bearing processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

one or more instructions for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least one or more instructions for determining the behavioral fingerprint via establishing a statistical predictability of one or more future actions of an authorized user of the computing device.

32. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network.

33. At least one processor-accessible medium bearing processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

one or more instructions for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least one or more instructions for determining the level of authentication associated with the first user at least partially via a reconstructed key formed via gathered data from at least one social network.

34. A computationally-implemented method, comprising:

determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least determining a level of authentication associated with the first user with respect to the computing device at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint that is based, at least in part, on one or more interactions between another device and an authorized user of the computing device.

35. At least one processor-accessible medium bearing processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions comprising:

one or more instructions for determining that a first user of a computing device is associated with the computing device; and

one or more instructions for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user via the computing device, the level of authentication at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint, including at least one or more instructions for determining a level of authentication associated with the first user with respect to the computing device at least partially based on a behavioral fingerprint that is based, at least in part, on one or more interactions between another device and an authorized user of the computing device.