AUTHENTICATION LEVEL OF FUNCTION BUCKET BASED ON CIRCUMSTANCES

• US 20150229625A1
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Published: 08/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Grigg, David M., JOHANSEN, JOSEPH NEIL, TOTH, MICHAEL E., CARPENTER, DANIEL LYNN, QAIM-MAQAMI, HOOD, HANSON, CARRIE ANNE, VOTAW, ELIZABETH S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,647,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for assigning a level of authentication to an authentication bucket. Embodiments determine a current level of authentication corresponding to a first authentication bucket comprising a plurality of mobile banking functions; collect a set of circumstantial data corresponding with the apparatus; determine a circumstances score based at least in part on the set of circumstantial data; and determine whether the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is appropriate based at least in part on the circumstances score.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assigning a level of authentication to an authentication bucket, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a processor; and

a module stored in the memory, executable by the processor, and configured to;

determine a current level of authentication corresponding to a first authentication bucket comprising a plurality of mobile banking functions;

collect a set of circumstantial data corresponding with the apparatus;

determine a circumstances score based at least in part on the set of circumstantial data; and

determine whether the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is appropriate based at least in part on the circumstances score.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein determining a circumstances score comprises:

determining a first partial score comprising a potential exposure score associated with one or more negative events indicated by the set of circumstantial data;

determining a second partial score comprising a mitigating score associated with one or more positive events indicated by the set of circumstantial data; and

combining the first partial score and the second partial score to determine the circumstances score.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the module is further configured to:

apply a first weighting factor to the first partial score and a second weighting factor to the second partial score.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module is further configured to:

determine that the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is inappropriate; and

determine an appropriate level of authentication for the first authentication bucket based on applying the set of circumstantial data to a set of sorting rules.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the set of sorting rules are predetermined by a financial institution administering the mobile banking functions.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the module is further configured to:

receive user input selecting one of the plurality of authentication buckets for re-sorting one of the plurality of functions.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the module is further configured to:

receive a request, from a user, to access one of the plurality of functions;

access the plurality of authentication buckets to determine which of the authentication buckets corresponds with the requested function;

determine the level of authentication associated with the determined authentication bucket;

determine which one or more authentication types from a plurality of authentication types are associated with the level of authentication associated with the determined authentication bucket;

request one or more authentication credentials corresponding to the determined one or more authentication types;

receive one or more authentication credentials from the user;

validate the one or more authentication credentials, thereby resulting in a successful validation of the one or more authentication credentials; and

in response to the successful validation of the one or more authentication credentials, enable access to the function requested by the user.

8. A method for assigning a level of authentication to an authentication bucket, the method comprising:

determining a current level of authentication corresponding to a first authentication bucket comprising a plurality of mobile banking functions;

collecting a set of circumstantial data corresponding with the apparatus;

determining a circumstances score based at least in part on the set of circumstantial data;

determining whether the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is appropriate based at least in part on the circumstances score.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein determining a circumstances score comprises:

determining a first partial score comprising a potential exposure score associated with one or more negative events indicated by the set of circumstantial data;

determining a second partial score comprising a mitigating score associated with one or more positive events indicated by the set of circumstantial data; and

combining the first partial score and the second partial score to determine the circumstances score.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

applying a first weighting factor to the first partial score and a second weighting factor to the second partial score.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is inappropriate; and

determining an appropriate level of authentication for the first authentication bucket based on applying the set of circumstantial data to a set of sorting rules.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the set of sorting rules are predetermined by a financial institution administering the mobile banking functions.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving user input selecting one of the plurality of authentication buckets for re-sorting one of the plurality of functions.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a request, from a user, to access one of the plurality of functions;

accessing the plurality of authentication buckets to determine which of the authentication buckets corresponds with the requested function;

determining the level of authentication associated with the determined authentication bucket;

determining which one or more authentication types from a plurality of authentication types are associated with the level of authentication associated with the determined authentication bucket;

requesting one or more authentication credentials corresponding to the determined one or more authentication types;

receiving one or more authentication credentials from the user;

validating the one or more authentication credentials, thereby resulting in a successful validation of the one or more authentication credentials; and

in response to the successful validation of the one or more authentication credentials, enabling access to the function requested by the user.

15. A computer program product for assigning a level of authentication to an authentication bucket, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code causing a first apparatus to:

determine a current level of authentication corresponding to a first authentication bucket comprising a plurality of mobile banking functions;

collect a set of circumstantial data corresponding with the apparatus;

determine a circumstances score based at least in part on the set of circumstantial data;

determine whether the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is appropriate based at least in part on the circumstances score.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining a circumstances score comprises:

determining a first partial score comprising a potential exposure score associated with one or more negative events indicated by the set of circumstantial data;

determining a second partial score comprising a mitigating score associated with one or more positive events indicated by the set of circumstantial data; and

combining the first partial score and the second partial score to determine the circumstances score.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code further causes the first apparatus to:

apply a first weighting factor to the first partial score and a second weighting factor to the second partial score.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the code further causes the first apparatus to:

determine that the current level of authentication corresponding to the first authentication bucket is inappropriate; and

determine an appropriate level of authentication for the first authentication bucket based on applying the set of circumstantial data to a set of sorting rules.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the set of sorting rules are predetermined by a financial institution administering the mobile banking functions.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the code further causes the first apparatus to:

receive user input selecting one of the plurality of authentication buckets for re-sorting one of the plurality of functions.