Recovery mechanism for fault-tolerant split-server passcode verification of one-time authentication tokens

• US 9,749,314 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2016
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RSA Security LLC (Symphony Technology Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Triandopoulos, Nikolaos, Brainard, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Homayounmehr, Farid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhu, Zhimei
• Application Number:
  US15/097,773
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0838 using one-time-passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/085 Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes
• 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 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• 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 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853

Abstract

A recovery mechanism is provided for split-server passcode verification systems. An exemplary token-centric recovery scheme comprises at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, comprises the steps of: determining that a first one of the plurality of authentication servers is unavailable; applying an authentication mechanism to a message requesting the token to change to a new split-state mode; and sending the authenticated message to the token. The authentication mechanism comprises, for example, a relying party signing the message using a next passcode of the new split-state mode. The new split-state mode comprises, for example, a single server passcode verification and wherein the next passcode of the new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of the single server. A client optionally changes to the new split-state mode after successfully verifying the authentication mechanism.

Claims

1. A recovery method for a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said recovery method comprising:

determining, using at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;

generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and

sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “

aliveness”

message to at least one other server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said applying step is responsive to said determination that the first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable.

8. An apparatus of a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said apparatus comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processing device, coupled to the memory, operative to implement the following steps;

determining, using said at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;

generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and

sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “

aliveness”

message to at least one other server.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said applying step is responsive to said determination that the first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable.

15. An article of manufacture for a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

determining, using at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;

generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and

sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “

aliveness”

message to at least one other server.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.