Context-dependent authentication system, method and device

• US 9,619,852 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zighra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zighra, Inc.
• Inventors: Dutt, Deepak Chandra, Somayaji, Anil Buntwal
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleischer, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US14/337,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20140337243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2105 Dual mode as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4016 involving fraud or risk level assessment in transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• 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 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/065 Continuous authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/126 Anti-theft arrangements, e.g. protection against subscriber identity module [SIM] cloning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/68 Gesture-dependent or behaviour-dependent

Abstract

A method for authenticating a user using a user device connected to a communications network, the method comprising an implicit phase, wherein said implicit phase comprises performing at least one task within a workflow, said at least one task necessary to move forward within said workflow; storing information associated with said performing of at least one task; comparing said stored information with a stored user profile; and determining whether said authentication of said user is successful or unsuccessful based on said comparing.

Claims

1. A mobile device coupled to a communications network for authenticating a user comprising:

a user interface,

a first sensor and a second sensor, and

a transaction authentication information unit, said transaction authentication information unit operating an authentication workflow comprising an a user specific authentication context and an explicit authentication task,

said user specific authentication context based on a plurality of user specific information,

said transaction authentication information unit receiving a first data set from said first sensor associated with a first user specific authentication context,

said transaction authentication information unit receiving a second data set from said second sensor, said second data set associated with a second user specific authentication context, and

said transaction authentication information unit dynamically calculating a weighting for said first data set and said second data set and based on said weighting, said first data set, and said second data set, determining a correlation between said first data set and said second data set, said weighting being adapted based on said first data set or said second data set, said transaction authentication information unit based on said correlation authenticating said user, wherein if said correlation is less than a threshold, the authentication is unsuccessful and the transaction authentication information unit initiates said explicit authentication task.

2. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor are chosen from a group comprising:

login speed units,

environmental units,

gyroscopes,

accelerometers, and

Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) units.

3. The mobile device of claim 1, wherein said user specific authentication context is chosen from a group comprising:

location analysis,

user behavioral analytics,

biometric analytics,

device contextual checks,

network intelligence, and

information extracted from crowdsourced information.

4. A method for authenticating a user of a mobile device coupled to a communications network, said method comprising:

monitoring, by a transaction authentication information unit of said mobile device, for the initiation of an authentication transaction, said mobile device further comprising a user interface, a first sensor, and a second sensor;

initiating, by said transaction authentication information unit, an authentication workflow comprising an user specific authentication context and an explicit authentication task, said user specific authentication context based on a plurality of user specific information;

receiving, by said transaction authentication information unit, a first data set from said first sensor associated with a first user specific authentication context;

receiving, by said transaction authentication information unit, a second data set from said second sensor, said second data set associated with a second user specific authentication context; and

said transaction authentication information unit dynamically calculating a weighting for said first data set and said second data set, said weighting being adapted based on said first data set or said second data set, said transaction authentication information unit based on said weighting, said first data set, and said second data set, determining a correlation between said first data set and said second data set;

said transaction authentication information unit, based on said correlation, authenticating said user, wherein if said correlation is less than a threshold, the authentication is unsuccessful and the transaction authentication information unit initiates said explicit authentication task.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

prompting the user to flag said authentication transaction with a degree of concern.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said first sensor and said second sensor are chosen from a group comprising:

login speed units,

environmental units,

gyroscopes,

accelerometers, and

Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) units.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said user specific authentication context is chosen from a group comprising:

location analysis,

user behavioral analytics,

biometric analytics,

device contextual checks,

network intelligence, and

information extracted from crowdsourced information.