Authenticating electronic content

• US 9,843,447 B1
• Filed: 03/09/2005
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Authentixx LLC (Jeffrey M. Gross)
• Original Assignee: Secure Axcess LLC (Prism Technologies Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bishop, Fred, Domenica, Danielle R., Mendivil, Vicki R., Villalobos, Hermes H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schmidt, Kari
• Application Number:
  US10/906,856
• Time in Patent Office: 4,661 Days
• Field of Search: 713176-180, 380277, 380279
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/33 using certificates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/64 Protecting data integrity, e.g. using checksums, certificates or signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G09C 5/00 Ciphering apparatus or methods not provided for in the preceding groups, e.g. involving the concealment or deformation of graphic data such as designs, written or printed messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1466 Active attacks involving interception, injection, modification, spoofing of data unit addresses, e.g. hijacking, packet injection or TCP sequence number attacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1483 service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• 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

Abstract

The present invention provides for an authenticity marker to be embedded within web page and/or email content which allows a user to validate that the content originates from the true source of the content and is not merely a copy. The method includes a user requesting content in the form of a web page and/or email from a server using a web browser or email client. The server receives the request, retrieves the content and forwards it to an authentication server. The authentication server inserts into the retrieved content a unique fractal icon and/or information only known between the owner of the content and the user.

Claims

1. A method for authenticating at least one web page, the method comprising:

storing at least one authenticity stamp in a preferences file located in a secure location;

receiving a request from a client computer for the at least one web page;

creating, by an authentication server, formatted data by inserting an authenticity key into the requested at least one web page;

sending the formatted data to the client computer;

providing information to allow the client computer to extract the authenticity key from the formatted data; and

receiving, at a server, a request to find additional information used to locate the preferences file and then;

providing the additional information for decoding to determine the secure location of the preferences file;

decoding the additional information and determining the secure location of the preferences file;

locating the preferences file in the secure location;

retrieving the at least one authenticity stamp from the preferences file; and

enabling the at least one authenticity stamp to be displayed with the formatted data on a display of the client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure location is at least one of a random directory and a location not readily known by the client computer in order to obscure the location of the preferences file.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the additional information is a preferences key.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the authenticity stamp is selected by a user of the client computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the display of the authenticity stamp with the formatted data on the display on the client computer serves to authenticate the formatted data to the user of the client computer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the preferences file includes an image used for the authenticity stamp.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the authenticity key changes with each request for a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a web server.

9. A method for authenticating at least one web page, the method comprising:

storing at least one authenticity stamp in a preferences file located in a secure location;

receiving a request from a client computer for the at least one web page;

creating, by an authentication server, formatted data by inserting an authenticity key into the requested at least one web page;

sending the formatted data to the client computer;

providing information to allow the client computer to extract the authenticity key from the formatted data; and

finding additional information used to locate the preferences file based on a request received at a server, and then;

providing the additional information for decoding to determine the secure location of the preferences file;

decoding the additional information to determine the secure location of the preferences file;

locating the preferences file in the secure location;

retrieving the at least one authenticity stamp from the preferences file; and

enabling the at least one authenticity stamp to be displayed with the formatted data on a display of the client computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the secure location is at least one of a random directory and a location not readily known by the client computer in order to obscure the location of the preferences file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the additional information is a preferences key.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the authenticity stamp is selected by a user of the client computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display of the authenticity stamp with the formatted data on the display on the client computer serves to authenticate the formatted data to the user of the client computer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the preferences file includes an image used for the authenticity stamp.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authenticity key changes with each request for a web page.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the server is a web server.