Determining user authentication requirements based on the current location of the user being within a predetermined area requiring altered authentication requirements

• US 9,971,885 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• 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.
• Primary Examiner(s): KANAAN, SIMON P
• Application Number:
  US15/016,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20160156609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 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 server to determine that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in a predefined physical area;

a second set of codes for causing the server, in response to determining that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in the predefined physical area, to configure the predefined physical area for altered authentication requirements, the altered authentication requirements providing for increased authentication requirements in comparison to standard authentication requirements used to initially access a network service provided by the server, wherein the altered authentication requirements are further based on a designated time period, the server being operated by an entity;

a third set of codes for causing the server, after determining that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in the predefined physical area and configuring the predefined physical area for the altered authentication requirements, to receive, from a handheld mobile communication device in wireless network communication with the server, a request for a user operating the handheld mobile communication device to access the network service provided by the server, accessible via an executable application stored on the handheld mobile communication device, where the network service requires user authentication for access;

a fourth set of codes for causing the server 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 handheld mobile communication device;

a fifth set of codes for causing the server to determine that the current location of the user is within the predefined physical area and that the time associated with the request is during the designated time period associated with the predefined physical area;

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

a seventh set of codes for causing the server to receive from the user authentication data; and

an eighth set of codes for causing the server to provide the handheld mobile communication device with initial access to the network service in response to the user meeting the determined altered authentication requirements associated with the predefined physical area and the designated time period.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the entity operating the server.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the user.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a ninth set of codes for causing the server to determine that the handheld mobile communication device has 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 4, wherein the altered level of access provides for increased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the altered level of access provides for decreased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.

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

determining, by a server, that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in a predefined physical area;

in response to determining that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in the predefined physical area, configuring, by the server, the predefined physical area for altered authentication requirements, the altered authentication requirements providing for increased authentication requirements in comparison to standard authentication requirements used to initially access a network service provided by the server, wherein the altered authentication requirements are further based on a designated time period, the server being operated by an entity;

after determining that unsecured wireless communication is prevalent in the predefined physical area and configuring the predefined physical area for the altered authentication requirements, receiving, by the server, from a handheld mobile communication device in wireless network communication with the server, a request for a user operating the handheld mobile communication device to access the network service provided by the server, accessible via an executable application stored on the handheld mobile communication device, where the network service requires user authentication for access;

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

determining, by the server, that the current location of the user is within the predefined physical area and that the time associated with the request is during the designated time period associated with the predefined physical area;

identifying, by the server, the altered authentication requirements associated with the predefined physical area and the designated time period;

receiving, by the server, from the user authentication data; and

providing, by the server, the handheld mobile communication device with initial access to the network service in response to the user meeting the determined altered authentication requirements associated with the predefined physical area and the designated time period.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the entity operating the server.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the predefined physical area is defined by the user.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining, by the server, that the handheld mobile communication device has 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 10, wherein the altered level of access provides for increased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the altered level of access provides for decreased access to functionality within the network service once the user has met the altered authentication requirements.