System for transparent authentication across installed applications

• US 9,992,023 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trusted Mobile, Llc
• Original Assignee: Trusted Mobile, Llc
• Inventors: Sinchak, Jason Richard, Frost, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMITOSKI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US15/332,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20170041145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/57 Certifying or maintaining trusted computer platforms, e.g. secure boots or power-downs, version controls, system software checks, secure updates or assessing vulnerabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2107 File encryption
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/108 Remote banking, e.g. home banking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/107 wherein the security policies are location-dependent, e.g. entities privileges depend on current location or allowing specific operations only from locally connected terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0643 Hash functions, e.g. MD5, SHA, HMAC or f9 MAC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0872 using geo-location information, e.g. location data, time, relative position or proximity to other entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/14 using a plurality of keys or algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3231 Biological data, e.g. fingerprint, voice or retina network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using biometrical features in a packet data network H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 : Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 : Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 : Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 : Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/67 : Risk-dependent, e.g. selecting a security level depending on risk profiles

Abstract

A system for authenticating mobile device users transparently is disclosed. This invention improves on the existing flaws by deriving encryption keys from environmental condition data when the user and device are trusted. The keys are then cryptographically hashed and compared with repository hashed data to determine if the conditions match a prior set of conditions. If a match is found and trust factors are sufficient, the system uses the condition data to decrypt a master key that allows access to secure data in the same manner as would a user-provided password. The security system cannot be bypassed if the device is stolen, as an attacker would have to replicate the exact environment and behavioral attributes employed and learned from the user without any knowledge as to the factors that constitute them because the factors are not maintained by the system.

Claims

1. A method of user authentication on a device, comprising:

receiving a request for a master key to access secure data;

generating, via a processor, a device score based on security factors that are indicative of the integrity of the device;

in response to the device score being above a first threshold;

gathering present conditions from a plurality of device sensors;

generating, via the processor and an encoding algorithm, a user trust score based on cyrptographic hashes of each of the present conditions and weighted pre-recorded hashes stored in a profile repository in a memory of the device, the weighted pre-recorded hashes representing past values of the conditions;

if the user trust score exceeds a second threshold, generating a candidate token by cryptographically hashing a data string formed by the present conditions and comparing it to pre-recorded tokens stored in a token repository of the memory;

if the candidate token matches one of the pre-recorded tokens;

generating, via the processor and a derived key derived from the present conditions, the master key from an encrypted key uniquely associated with the matched token; and

providing the master key to access the secure data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second thresholds are previously set by a user or a system administrator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the device score being below the first threshold, requesting a user supplied password to decrypt the master key to access the secure data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the user trust score does not exceed the second threshold, requesting a user supplied password to decrypt the master key to access the secure data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein when generating the device score and when generating the user trust score, data is not transmitted external to the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the candidate token does not match one of the pre-recorded tokens:

requesting a user supplied password to decrypt the master key;

deriving the derived key from the present conditions;

encrypting the master key with the derived key; and

storing the candidate token in the token repository in a manner such that it is uniquely associated with the encrypted master key.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the derived key is a cryptographically hashed representation of a concatenated data string of the present conditions.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the present conditions indicate at least one of a geographic location where the device presently is, an orientation at which the device is being held, or an availability of a wireless network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the security factors that are indicative of the integrity of the device include at least one of an operating system policy violation, a missing patch, large outbound data flows, the device being jailbroken, malicious file system artifacts, connection to an unsecure router, tethering to an unsecured device, binary modification, an altered root password, or an unexpected file size change.

10. A system for providing access to secure data comprising:

a computerized user device including memory, a processor, an input mechanism, an output mechanism, and sensors to gather user environmental data;

a first application stored within the memory, the first application configured to send a user authentication request in response to a request to access the secure data;

a second application stored within the memory and integrated with the first application to supply a master key for use by the first application to access the secure data;

wherein, upon receiving the user authentication request, the second application is to;

generate a device score based on security factors that are indicative of the integrity of the computerized user device;

in response to the device score being above a first threshold;

gather present conditions from the sensors;

generate a user trust score based on cyrptographic hashes of each of the present conditions and weighted pre-recorded hashes stored in a profile repository in a memory of the device;

if the user trust score exceeds a second threshold, generating a candidate token by cryptographically hashing a data string formed by the present conditions and comparing it to pre-recorded tokens stored in a token repository of the memory;

if the candidate token matches one of the pre-recorded tokens;

generate the master key from an encrypted key uniquely associated with the matched token; and

provide the master key the first application.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first and second thresholds are previously set by a user or a system administrator.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein in response to the device score being below the first threshold, the second application is to request a user supplied password to decrypt the master key.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein if the user trust score does not exceed the second threshold, the second application is to request a user supplied password to decrypt the master key.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein when generating the device score and when generating the user trust score, the second application does not transmit data external to the computerized user device.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein if the candidate token does not match one of the pre-recorded tokens, the second application is to:

request a user supplied password to decrypt the master key;

derive the derived key from the present conditions;

encrypt the master key with the derived key; and

store the candidate token in the token repository in a manner such that it is uniquely associated with the encrypted master key.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the derived key is a cryptographically hashed representation of a concatenated data string of the present conditions.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the present conditions indicate at least one of a geographic location where the device presently is, an orientation at which the device is being held, or an availability of a wireless network.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the security factors that are indicative of the integrity of the device include at least one of an operating system policy violation, a missing patch, large outbound data flows, the device being jailbroken, malicious file system artifacts, connection to an unsecure router, tethering to an unsecured device, binary modification, an altered root password, or an unexpected file size change.