System and method for authenticating users

• US 9,577,993 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebackpack, Inc., PACid Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: PACid Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Fielder, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, BRIAN F
• Application Number:
  US15/195,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 238 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/193, 713/181, 713/165, 726/1, 726/26, 726/17, 726/21, 726/4, 380/44, 380/278, 709/231
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2123 Dummy operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/24 Key scheduling, i.e. generating round keys or sub-keys for block encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0894 Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

A security application for a computing device, e.g., a mobile phone, allows generation of a secret according to a unique user input (e.g., user credentials). The secret is stored in a directory such that it is retrievable when the unique user input is received via a user interface of a device on which the security application executes or is coupled with. Responsive to receiving an identifier associated with the secret, the security application prompts, e.g., via a user interface of the mobile phone, entry of the unique user input; and, subsequently, verifies the unique user input. Following such verification, the security application provides the secret for use in encoding a communication with a remote computer-based station. Entry of the user credentials may be required prior to the security application generating the secret, and may be responsive to receipt of an invitation (e.g., from the remote computer-based station) to generate it.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating a user, comprising:

generating, by an application running on a computing device and according to a unique user input, a secret, said secret stored at the computing device with an identifier and in a directory so as to be retrievable when the unique user input is applied to the computing device;

receiving at the computing device from a remote computer-based station a first communication, said first communication including the identifier associated with the secret;

responsive to said receiving, prompting a user for the user input via a user interface of the computing device and, upon verifying said unique user input to the computing device, transmitting from the computing device to the remote computer-based station a second communication encoded using the secret.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile communication device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret is stored in the directory along with other secrets and the identifier is used to distinguish the secret from the other secrets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key, the encryption key is stored in the directory along with other encryption keys, and the identifier is used to distinguish the encryption key from the other encryption keys.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key, the encryption key is stored in the directory along with decoy encryption keys, and the identifier is used to distinguish the encryption key from the decoy encryption keys.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication comprises an encrypted communication.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication comprises a request for user credentials of the user of the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising encrypting said secret prior to storing said secret in said directory.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the unique user input comprises user credentials, and further comprising receiving, via the user interface of the computing device, the user credentials prior to generating the secret.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving at the computing device an invitation to create the secret prior to generating the secret.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the invitation to create the secret is received from the remote computer-based station.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second communications comprise two related communications of a communication session.

13. A token for use in connection with secure communications, comprising:

a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor the memory storing a security application for execution by the processor, said security application, when executed by said processor, causing said processor to perform steps, including;

generating, according to a unique user input, a secret, and storing said secret with an identifier and in a directory which the processor configures in the memory such that said secret is retrievable when a unique user input is received by the token;

responsive to receiving the identifier associated with the secret, prompting, via a user interface, entry of the unique user input; and

upon receipt of the unique user input, verifying said unique user input, and using said secret to encode a first communication with a remote computer-based station.

14. The token of claim 13, wherein the secret is stored in the directory along with other secrets and the processor uses the identifier to distinguish the secret from the other secrets.

15. The token of claim 13, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key, the encryption key is stored in the directory along with other encryption keys, and the processor uses the identifier to distinguish the encryption key from the other encryption keys.

16. The token of claim 13, wherein the secret comprises an encryption key, the encryption key is stored in the directory along with decoy encryption keys, and the processor uses the identifier to distinguish the encryption key from the decoy encryption keys.

17. The token of claim 13, wherein the identifier is received in a second communication with the remote computer-based station.

18. The token of claim 15, wherein the second communication comprises a request for user credentials.

19. The token of claim 13, wherein said security application, when executed by said processor, further causes said processor to encrypt said secret prior to storing said secret in said directory.

20. The token of claim 13, wherein the unique user input comprises user credentials, and said security application, when executed by said processor, further causes said processor to receive, via the user interface of the mobile communication device, the user credentials prior to generating the secret.

21. The token of claim 20, wherein said security application, when executed by said processor, further causes said processor to generate said secret responsive to an invitation to create the secret received prior to generating the secret.

22. A mobile phone, comprising:

a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor the memory storing a security application for execution by the processor, said security application, when executed by said processor, causing said processor to perform steps, including;

generating, according to a unique user input, a secret, and storing said secret with an identifier and in a directory which the processor configures in the memory such that said secret is retrievable when a unique user input is received via a user interface of the mobile phone;

responsive to receiving the identifier associated with the secret, prompting, via the user interface of the mobile phone, entry of the unique user input; and

upon receipt of the unique user input, verifying said unique user input, and using said secret to encode a first communication with a remote computer-based station,

wherein the unique user input comprises user credentials, and said security application, when executed by said processor, further causes said processor to receive, via the user interface of the mobile phone, the user credentials prior to generating the secret.