Sending electronic transaction message, digital signature derived therefrom, and sender identity information in AADS system

• US 20020116608A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Anne M., Wheeler, Henry Lynn
• Granted Patent: US 6,820,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/155
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3825 Use of electronic signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/401 Transaction verification
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures

Abstract

In a system for performing an action regarding an account in response to an electronic communication received from a sender by a receiver, wherein the electronic communication includes sender identity information associated with the account and a digital signature derived using a private key of a public-private key pair, and wherein the public key has been associated with the account by the receiver such that the public key is retrievable based on the sender identity information, a method of validating the identity of the sender for the electronic communication includes: (a) retrieving the public key based on the received sender identity information; and (b) comparing a function of the public key and the digital signature with a function of the electronic message. The digital signature is derived from an electronic message possessed first by the sender before the receiver. The sender identity information is different from the electronic message.

Claims

1. In a system for performing an action regarding an account in response to an electronic communication received from a sender by a receiver, wherein the electronic communication includes sender identity information associated with the account and a digital signature derived using a private key of a public-private key pair from an electronic message possessed first by the sender before the receiver, said sender identity information being different from said electronic message, and wherein the public key of the pair has been associated with the account by the receiver such that the public key is retrievable based on the sender identity information, validating the identity of the sender for the electronic communication only by performing a method consisting of the steps of:

(a) retrieving the public key based on the sender identity information received in the electronic communication; and

(b) comparing a function of the public key and the digital signature with a function of the electronic message,

whereby a comparison resulting in a match validates the identity of the sender.

5. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the public key is associated with the account in a computer database.

6. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication includes the electronic message.

7. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic message is implied from the receipt of the electronic communication.

8. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the function of the public key and the digital signature comprises decrypting the digital signature using the public key.

9. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the function of the electronic message comprises calculating a hash value of the electronic message.

10. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the digital signature is derived within a smart card of the sender.

11. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the digital signature is received from the sender within a terminal of a third-party and then forwarded to the receiver.

12. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication is received over a secure network.

13. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication is received over an insecure network.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

15. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication is received encrypted.

16. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication is received unencrypted.

17. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the receiver is a financial institution and the action on the account comprises a financial transaction.

18. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the electronic communication includes the public key.

19. The method of claim 1, 2, or 4, wherein the sender identity information comprises the account number.

20. The method of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the sender identity information comprises other than the account number.

21. The system of claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the public key was associated with the account when the account was first established.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the public key was provided by the sender to the receiver.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the public key was provided to the sender by the receiver.

2. In a system for performing an action regarding an account in response to an electronic communication received from a sender by a receiver, wherein the electronic communication includes sender identity information associated with the account and a digital signature derived using a private key of a public-private key pair from an electronic message possessed first by the sender before the receiver, said sender identity information being different from said electronic message, wherein the public key of the pair has been associated with the account by the receiver such that the public key is retrievable based on the sender identity information, and wherein neither a PIN nor a password is required to be transmitted to the receiver for validating the identity of the sender, a method of validating the identity of the sender for the electronic communication comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving the public key based on the sender identity information received in the electronic communication; and

(b) comparing a function of the public key and the digital signature with a function of the electronic message,

whereby a comparison resulting in a match validates the identity of the sender.

3. In a system for performing an action regarding an account in response to an electronic communication received from a sender by a receiver, wherein the electronic communication includes sender identity information for the account comprising other than an account number and a digital signature derived using a private key of a public-private key pair from an electronic message possessed first by the sender before the receiver, said sender identity information being different from said electronic message, and wherein the public key of the pair has been associated with the sender identity information by the receiver such that the public key is retrievable based on the sender identity information, a method for validating the identity of the sender for the electronic communication comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving the public key based on the sender identity information received in the electronic communication; and

(b) comparing a function of the public key and the digital signature with a function of the electronic message,

whereby a comparison resulting in a match validates the identity of the sender.

4. In a system for performing an action regarding an account in response to an electronic communication received from a sender by a receiver, wherein the electronic communication is the only electronic communication received from the sender by the receiver relating to the action, wherein the electronic communication includes sender identity information associated with the account and a digital signature derived using a private key of a public-private key pair from an electronic message possessed first by the sender before the receiver, said sender identity information being different from said electronic message, and wherein the public key of the pair has been associated with the sender identity information by the receiver such that the public key is retrievable based on the sender identity information, a method for validating the identity of the sender for the electronic message comprising the steps of:

(a) retrieving the public key based on the sender identity information received in the electronic communication; and

(b) comparing a function of the public key and the digital signature with a function of the electronic message,

whereby a comparison resulting in a match validates the identity of the sender.