Unauthorized account access lockout reduction

• US 9,396,323 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2016
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cross, Micah M., Patel, Sharan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUNDRY, STEPHEN T
• Application Number:
  US14/995,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20160132677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 187 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/45 Structures or tools for the administration of authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• 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: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

A method and system for determining unauthorized account access is provided. The method includes receiving a username of a user and a passcode for access to a secure account or device belonging to a user. The passcode is determined to be incorrect. Unauthorized access attempts with respect to the secure account or the device are determined based on based on the incorrect passcode and in response, a quality factor associated with the incorrect passcode with respect to the secure account or device is determined. The quality factor is compared to a threshold value. Security functions associated with the secure account or device with respect to the incorrect passcode and the results of the comparison are performed based on the quality factor and the unauthorized access attempts.

Claims

1. An unauthorized passcode access reduction method comprising:

remotely receiving over a network, by a computer processor of a computing system from a user via a remote system comprising a first IP address, a username of a user and a passcode for access to a secure account or device belonging to said user, wherein said first IP address differs from a second IP address of said computing system;

determining, by said computer processor based on said passcode being determined as an incorrect passcode and determining that said user is accessing said computing system via said first IP address, unauthorized access attempts associated with said secure account or device;

determining, by said computer processor, a quality factor associated with said incorrect passcode with respect to said secure account or device, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified percentage and associated correct position of correct characters within said passcode;

comparing, by said computer processor, said quality factor to a predetermined threshold percentage value indicating a threshold percentage and position of correct characters within said passcode; and

performing, by said computer processor based on results of said comparing and said unauthorized access attempts, security functions associated with prevention of a false access lockout or reset process with respect to said secure account or device with respect to said incorrect passcode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a progression of a pattern of characters matching characters of said passcode within a specified number of passcode input attempts.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor exceeds said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

disabling said username from access to said secure account or device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

locking said secure account or device from being accessed.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

deleting all information from said secure account or device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

enabling, by an administrator, said username for access to said secure account or device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor exceeds said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

locking said secure account or device from being accessed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

determining that a specified time period has elapsed; and

enabling access to said secure account or device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

enabling access from an alternative location to said secure account or device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor exceeds said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

deleting all information from said secure account or device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor is less than said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

determining, based on said specified level of quality, that a lockout function of said secure account or device is not required; and

indicating that said secure account or device has been locked out.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor is less than said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

determining, based on said specified level of quality, that a system memory wipe function of said secure account or device is not required; and

indicating that said system memory wipe function of said secure account or device secure account has been performed.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in the computing system, said code being executed by the computer processor to implement;

said receiving, said determining said unauthorized access attempts, said determining said quality factor, said comparing, and said performing.

14. A computing system comprising a computer processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor implements an unauthorized passcode access reduction method comprising:

remotely receiving over a network, by said computer processor from a user via a remote system comprising a first IP address, a username of a user and a passcode for access to a secure account or device belonging to said user, wherein said first IP address differs from a second IP address of said computing system;

determining, by said computer processor based on said passcode being determined as an incorrect passcode and determining that said user is accessing said computing system via said first IP address, unauthorized access attempts associated with said secure account or device;

determining, by said computer processor, a quality factor associated with said incorrect passcode with respect to said secure account or device, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified percentage and associated correct position of correct characters within said passcode;

comparing, by said computer processor, said quality factor to a predetermined threshold percentage value indicating a threshold percentage and position of correct characters within said passcode; and

performing, by said computer processor based on results of said comparing and said unauthorized access attempts, security functions associated with prevention of a false access lockout or reset process with respect to said secure account or device with respect to said incorrect passcode.

15. The computing system of claim 14, wherein said quality factor indicates a progression of a pattern of characters matching characters of said passcode within a specified number of passcode input attempts.

16. The computing system of claim 14, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor exceeds said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

disabling said username from access to said secure account or device.

17. The computing system of claim 16, wherein said performing said security functions further comprises:

locking said secure account or device from being accessed.

18. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a computer processor of a computer system implements an unauthorized passcode access reduction method, said method comprising:

remotely receiving over a network, by said computer processor from a user via a remote system comprising a first IP address, a username of a user and a passcode for access to a secure account or device belonging to said user, wherein said first IP address differs from a second IP address of said computing system;

determining, by said computer processor based on said passcode being determined as an incorrect passcode and determining that said user is accessing said computing system via said first IP address, unauthorized access attempts associated with said secure account or device;

determining, by said computer processor, a quality factor associated with said incorrect passcode with respect to said secure account or device, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified percentage and associated correct position of correct characters within said passcode;

comparing, by said computer processor, said quality factor to a predetermined threshold percentage value indicating a threshold percentage and position of correct characters within said passcode; and

performing, by said computer processor based on results of said comparing and said unauthorized access attempts, security functions associated with prevention of a false access lockout or reset process with respect to said secure account or device with respect to said incorrect passcode.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said quality factor indicates a progression of a pattern of characters matching characters of said passcode within a specified number of passcode input attempts.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein said quality factor indicates a specified level of quality of said incorrect passcode with respect to said passcode, wherein said results of said comparing indicate that said quality factor exceeds said predetermined threshold, and wherein said performing said security functions comprises:

disabling said username from access to said secure account or device.