Methods and systems of authenticating a password

• US 9,660,980 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rashidi, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu, Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corum, Jr., William
• Application Number:
  US14/257,373
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A method of creating a password for a user account may include receiving, by a computing device, one or more authentication rules that each correspond to a password. Each authentication rule may describe a feature a password is to possess. The method may include receiving, by the computing device, a content and a corresponding action rule for the password, where the action rule specifies an action that is be performed if the password includes the received content, associating the authentication rules, the content, and the action rule with one or more credentials of the user for the user account, and storing the password type, the authentication rules, the content, and the action rule in a database.

Claims

1. A method of authenticating a password for a user account, the method comprising:

prompting, by a computing device, a user for one or more first credentials associated with the user account, wherein the user account is associated with a user password for the user account;

receiving, by the computing device from the a client computing device, a first password;

determining whether the first password was provided as part of a malicious activity; and

in response to determining that the first password was provided as part of a malicious activity;

prompting, by the computing device, the user for one or more second credentials associated with the user account that are different than the one or more first credentials,

receiving, by the computing device from the client computing device, a second password that is different than the first password,

determining, by the computing device, whether the second password satisfies each authentication rule associated with the user password, and

in response to determining that the second password satisfies each authentication rule;

determining whether the second password satisfies an action rule associated with the user password, and

in response to determining that the second password satisfies the action rule, performing an action associated with the action rule.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device during a subsequent access attempt, a third password to access the user account, wherein the third password is different from the first password and the second password;

determining whether the third password satisfies each authentication rule; and

in response to determining that the third password satisfies each authentication rule, allowing the client computing device to access the user account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device during a subsequent access attempt, a third password to access the user account, wherein the third password is different from the first password and the second password;

determining whether the third password satisfies each authentication rule; and

in response to determining that the third password does not satisfy each authentication rule, not allowing the client computing device to access the user account.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user password for the user account is an equation that evaluates to a certain value,

determining whether the second password satisfies each authentication rule associated with the user password comprises determining whether the second password is an equation that evaluates to the certain value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining whether the second password satisfies an action rule associated with the user password comprises determining whether the second password includes an indication that the second password is being spoken, and

performing an action associated with the action rule comprises denying access to the user account if a subsequent access attempt is made using the second password.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining whether the second password satisfies an action rule associated with the user password comprises determining whether the second password includes an indication that the user is not trusted, and

performing an action associated with the action rule comprises revoking the user'"'"'s access to the account after a time period.

4. A system of authenticating a password for a user account, the system comprising:

a computing device; and

a computer-readable storage medium in communication with the computing device, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to;

prompt a user for one or more first credentials associated with the user account, wherein the user account is associated with a user password for the user account,

receive a first password,

determine whether the first password was provided as part of a malicious activity, and

in response to determining that the first password was provided as part of a malicious activity;

prompt the user for one or more second credentials associated with the user account that are different than the one or more first credentials,

receive a second password that is different than the first password,

determine whether the second password satisfies each authentication rule associated with the user password, and

in response to determining that the second password satisfies each authentication rule;

determine whether the second password satisfies an action rule associated with the user password, and

in response to determining that the second password satisfies the action rule, perform an action associated with the action rule.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to:

receive during a subsequent access attempt a third password to access the user account, wherein the third password is different from the first password and the second password;

determine whether the third password satisfies each authentication rule; and

in response to determining that the third password satisfies each authentication rule, allow the client computing device to access the user account.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to:

receive during a subsequent access attempt a third password to access the user account, wherein the third password is different from the password and the third password;

determine whether the third password satisfies each authentication rule; and

in response to determining that the third password satisfies each authentication rule, allow the client computing device to access the user account.