Browser plug-in for secure credential submission

• US 9,954,838 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Deurbrouck, John, Baker, Caleb G., Zhu, Danhua, Dellow, Colin Leslie, Franco, Roberto A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad A
• Application Number:
  US14/816,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373005A1
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Described is a technology by which a plug-in (e.g., an ActiveX® control) instantiated by a web browser calls functions of a credential service to use a set of credential data (e.g., a card file) for logging into a website. If the credential service determines that a previously used card file for the website exists, a representation of that card file is displayed in the browser, and the data of that card file is used to obtain a token for logging in the user. If not found, an icon is presented instead, by which the user can select a user interface that allows selection of another card file that meets that meet the website'"'"'s requirements.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising memory and at least one processing circuit coupled to the memory, the memory comprising:

a browser component configured to, based upon content corresponding to a website, call functions of a credential service to determine whether a stored set of credential data that matches the website'"'"'s requirements is available, and if so, to obtain a token corresponding to the stored set of credential data for providing to the website,

in response to a determination that no previously used set of credential data matches the website'"'"'s requirements, a credential user interface is to display a visible representation to process user selection or creation of another set of credential data, and to obtain a token corresponding to the other set of credential data.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the browser component comprises an ActiveX®

control or NPAPI (Netscape Plugin Application Programming Interface) component.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the browser component is identified in HTML content, and is associated with parameters including information that corresponds to the website'"'"'s requirements.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of credential data comprises a card file maintained in a card store.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the browser component is further configured to display a visible representation of the card file.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the credential service is further configured to determine whether a set of credential data that matches the website'"'"'s requirements is available by accessing a ledger associated with a card store.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the code is further configured to provide a select icon when no previously used credential data matches the website'"'"'s requirements credential user interface, and wherein the credential user interface is presented when the select icon is clicked.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the credential service is further configured to obtain the token from an issuer service.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the credential service includes functions called by the code, including a function that when invoked instructs the credential service to obtain the token.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the other set of credential data is stored is the memory.

11. A method comprising:

calling a credential service from a browser component to determine whether a stored set of credential data previously associated with a website matches requirements for submission to the website;

responsive to a determination that the set of credential data matches the requirements for submission to the website, calling the credential service to obtain a token corresponding to the credential data for providing to the website; and

responsive to a determination that the set of credential data does not match the requirements for submission to the website, displaying a credential user interface to select or create a set of credential data matching the requirements and calling the credential service to obtain a token corresponding to the set of credential data matching the requirements.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, instantiating the browser component by processing HTML that corresponds to a page of the website.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein a set of credential data previously associated with a website matches the requirements, and further comprising, displaying a representation of that set of credential data in association with the browser component.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the credential data does not match the requirements, and further comprising, calling the credential service to find at least one other set of credential data that meets the requirements, and presenting a representation of each other set of credential data that meets the requirements for user selection of another set.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising, providing an icon that indicates that a set of credential data that meets the requirements is needed, and wherein presenting the representation of each other set of credential data occurs in response to user interaction with the icon.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising, obtaining the token and submitting the token to the website.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein obtaining the token comprises providing a notification to the website, and in response to the notification, receiving a function call to get the token.

18. One or more computer-readable storage devices having computer-executable instructions, which in response to execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

accessing information associated with a data store that maintains sets of credential data to determine whether a stored set of credential data previously associated with a website matches requirements set forth in parameters associated the browser component, and if so,

a) displaying a representation of that set of credential data that comprises a tile having a graphic and claims, obtaining a token corresponding to that set of credential data, and providing the token to a website, and if not,

b) creating or searching for other sets of credential data that match the requirements, displaying a representation for each set of credential data that matches the requirements, receiving interaction with a displayed representation of another set of credential data, obtaining a token corresponding to the other set of credential data, and providing the token to a website.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 18 having further computer-executable instructions, which in response to execution by the computer, cause the computer to perform further steps, comprising:

providing a credential user interface.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 18 wherein accessing the information associated with a data store comprises reading a ledger associated with a card file data store.