DETERMINING USER AUTHENTICATION REQUIREMENTS BASED ON THE CURRENT LOCATION OF THE USER BEING WITHIN A PREDETERMINED AREA REQUIRING ALTERED AUTHENTICATION REQUIREMENTS

• US 20160156609A1
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Published: 06/02/2016
• 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., Bertanzetti, Peter John, Burrell, Charles Jason, HANSON, Carrie Anne, Johansen, Joseph Neil, Toth, Michael E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,971,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, methods, and computer program products are provided for determining a user'"'"'s authentication requirements/credentials for a specific network access session based on the current location of the user in comparison to predetermined boundaries of location that have altered authentication requirements, in the form of, increased or decreased authentication requirements/credentials that differ from the standard authentication requirements.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive, from a mobile communication device, a request for a user to access a network service, accessible via an executable application stored on the mobile communication device, where the network service requires user authentication for access;

a second set of codes for causing a computer to, in response to receiving the request, determine a current physical location of the user and a time associated with the request based on data received from the mobile communication device;

a third set of codes for causing a computer to determine that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area and that the time associated with the request is during a designated time period associated with the predefined physical area, wherein the predefined physical area has altered authentication requirements designated for the physical area based on a designated time, and wherein the altered authentication requirements provide for one of (1) increased or (2) decreased authentication requirements in comparison to standard authentication requirements used to access the network service;

a fourth set of codes for causing a computer to identify the altered authentication requirements associated with the predefined physical area and the designated time period;

a fifth set of codes for receiving from the user authentication data; and

a sixth set of codes for providing access to the network service in response to the user meeting the determined altered authentication requirements.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the third set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to determine that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area having altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the entity providing the network service.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the third set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to determine that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area having altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the user.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to determine that the current location of the user is within the predefined physical area having an altered level of access within the network service, wherein the altered level of access provides for one of (1) increased or (2) decreased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the third set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to determine a level of authentication required based on the current location of the user and the time being within the predefined physical area during the designated time period.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the third set of codes is further configured to cause the computer to determine that the current location of the user and the time are within a predefined physical area during a designated time period, wherein the predefined physical area has altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is associated with a physical area in which unsecure wireless communication is prevalent and the altered authentication requirements are increased authentication requirements.

7. A method for determining user authentication requirements, the method comprising:

receiving, from a mobile communication device, a request for a user to access a network service, accessible via an executable application stored on the mobile communication device, where the network service requires user authentication for access;

in response to receiving the request, determining, by a computing device processor, a current physical location of the user and a time associated with the request based on data received from the mobile communication device;

determining, by a computing device processor, that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area and that the time associated with the request is during a designated time period associated with the predefined physical area, wherein the predefined physical area has altered authentication requirements designated for the physical area based on a designated time, wherein the altered authentication requirements provide for one of (1) increased or (2) decreased authentication requirements in comparison to standard authentication requirements used to access the network service;

identifying, by a computing device processor, the altered authentication requirements associated with the predefined physical area and the designated time period;

receiving from the user authentication data; and

providing access to the network service in response to the user meeting the determined altered authentication requirements.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area having altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the entity providing the network service.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the current location of the user is within a predefined physical area having altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the user.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by a computing device processor, that the current location of the user is within the predefined physical area having an altered level of access within the network service, wherein the altered level of access provides for one of (1) increased or (2) decreased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the current location of the user is proximate to the predefined physical area having altered authentication requirements further comprises determining a level of authentication required based on the current location of the user and the time being within the predefined physical area during the designated time period.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein determining that the current location of the user is within the predefined physical area further comprises determining, by the computing device processor, that the current location of the user and the time are within a predefined physical area during a designated time period associated with the predefined physical area, wherein the predefined physical area has altered authentication requirements, wherein the predefined physical area is associated with a physical area in which unsecure wireless communication is prevalent and the altered authentication requirements are increased authentication requirements.