System, method and computer program product for access authentication

• US 9,923,906 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2017
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Webcetera L.P. (Applied Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shepler, Brian E., Holloway, Charles J., Rao, Nagaraj V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Korsak, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US15/401,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20170118227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 436 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/79 in semiconductor storage media, e.g. directly-addressable memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2143 Clearing memory, e.g. to prevent the data from being stolen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/121 Timestamp cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements involving time stamps H04L9/3297
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215

Abstract

A method and technique for access authentication includes: responsive to receiving an access request from a user for a secure resource, transmitting a uniform resource locator (URL) to the user; responsive to transmitting the URL to the user, logging a timestamp for the URL transmission; responsive to receiving a request for the URL, logging a timestamp for the URL request; and responsive to verifying that a difference between the timestamp for the URL transmission and the timestamp for the URL request is within a predetermined time period, providing access to the secure resource.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

responsive to receiving an access request from a user for a secure resource, transmitting a uniform resource locator (URL) to the user;

responsive to transmitting the URL to the user, logging a timestamp for the URL transmission;

responsive to receiving a request for the URL, logging a timestamp for the URL request; and

responsive to verifying that a difference between the timestamp for the URL transmission and the timestamp for the URL request is within a predetermined time period, providing access to the secure resource.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the URL to the user via an electronic mail message.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the access request, querying the user for an electronic mail address; and

responsive to receiving an electronic mail address from the user, verifying the electronic mail address received from the user with a stored electronic mail address corresponding to the user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a token; and

combining the token with a character string to form the URL.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein generating the token comprises randomly generating the token.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a query based on data received from a third party corresponding to the user;

transmitting the query to the user;

receiving a response to the query from the user; and

responsive to validating the response to the query received from the user, providing access to the secure resource.

7. A system comprising:

a processing unit having access to a secure resource; and

an authentication module executable by the processing unit to;

responsive to receiving an access request from a user for a secure resource, transmit a uniform resource locator (URL) to the user;

responsive to transmitting the URL to the user, log a timestamp for the URL transmission;

responsive to receiving a request for the URL, log a timestamp for the URL request; and

responsive to verifying that a difference between the timestamp for the URL transmission and the timestamp for the URL request is within a predetermined time period, provide access to the secure resource.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication module is executable to transmit the URL to the user via an electronic mail message.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication module is executable to:

responsive to receiving the access request, query the user for an electronic mail address; and

responsive to receiving an electronic mail address from the user, verify the electronic mail address received from the user with a stored electronic mail address corresponding to the user.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication module is executable to:

generate a token; and

combine the token with a character string to form the URL.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the authentication module is executable to randomly generate the token.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the authentication module is executable to:

generate a query based on data received from a third party corresponding to the user;

transmit the query to the user;

receive a response to the query from the user; and

responsive to validating the response to the query received from the user, provide access to the secure resource.