System and method for user authentication by means of web-enabled personal trusted device

Abstract

A system of token-based user authentication for the purpose of authorizing user access to protected resources, such as web applications, computer systems or computer controlled devices. The system utilizes a personal trusted device (PTD), which is owned and operated by one specific user, to establish secure communication channels that are subsequently used to pass user credentials to authentication service. Association of a PTD with servers controlling access to resources is performed by publishing and capturing unique tokens via sensors embedded in PTD, such as an optical camera.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of information security and relates specifically to user authentication for the purpose of authorization of access to restricted resources.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the modern environment where an individual can gain access to restricted resources, the user authentication becomes a central issue. A widely accepted solution to this problem is based on a combination of the unique login name and the password, which no one but their owner is supposed to know. This solution is not safe: a malicious party may successfully guess or inconspicuously record this information (for instance, with key logging or phishing techniques), and then use it to impersonate the legitimate user and gain access to restricted resources.

There exist a number of approaches that address such a security issue with login names and passwords. Most of these approaches are based on a one-time password or code that can be different for every authentication attempt. Typically, such approaches require specialized hardware. For instance, security tokens often designed as key fobs generate synchronous dynamic passwords with an algorithm kept in tight secret. This password can be independently reproduced by the authenticating authority and matched with a supplied one. More sophisticated security tokens may make use of biometric devices, such as a fingerprint scanner, which guarantees more rigorous authentication. These tokens, however, usually are proprietary and provide authentication for only one resource provider; more universal solution is in demand.

There is another problem for authentication with user name and password. Over time, users typically end up with a number of different login names and passwords, because sometimes a previously used user name is taken, or a previously used password is not deemed as sufficiently secure by an authentication authority. At certain point such a variety of user names and passwords becomes hard to remember and manage. There exist software solutions where users can store user names and passwords, and use a master password for accessing the list. This can be dangerous from the security perspective, as if a malicious party gains access to its content, it gets access to all resources available to the owner. There is a need, therefore, in a single secure authentication solution, which would handle access to multiple resources without significant security compromise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system of token-based authentication meets the needs of user authentication for the purpose of authorizing access via action servers to protected resources. To perform authentication, an action server sends a request for authentication to an authentication service, which will keep the request until it is completed or expired, and sends request for a new token to a token management service. A unique token is then generated by the token management service, and is presented via a token presentation device to the user, who then scans the token with his or her personal trusted device (PTD). The PTD transmits a message via encrypted communication channel, containing its unique identifier and the scanned token, to the token management service. The token management service notifies the authentication service of the response from PTD. The authentication service queries PTD via encrypted channel for user credentials. PTD passes a query to the user, the user enters the credentials via PTD's embedded input devices, and PTD transmits the entered credentials to the authentication service via encrypted channel. The authentication service checks user credentials, and upon successful match notifies action server via encrypted communication channel that authentication has been successfully completed. The action server may than allows the user to access the protected resources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 describes communication between the components of token-based authentication system.

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of a specific illustrative embodiment of the token-based authentication system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In this specific embodiment the action server is a web server, which serves a web application that requires user authentication in a web browser (terminal device). The embodiment is illustrated with FIGS. 1 and 2. The sequence of events in this embodiment is as follows:

• • 1. The user opens the login page of a web application in the browser (arrow 1 in FIG. 1, arrow 1 in FIG. 2).
  • 2. The web browser opens a session (FIG. 1, arrow 2; FIG. 2, arrow 2) on a web server.
  • 3. Action server creates an authentication request (FIG. 1, arrow 3; FIG. 2, arrow 3) and sends it to authentication service.
  • 4. Authentication service requests a token from a token management service (FIG. 1, arrow 4; FIG. 2, arrow 4).
  • 5. Token management service issues a token (FIG. 1, arrow 5; FIG. 2, arrow 5).
  • 6. The token is passed through the action server (FIG. 1, arrow 6; FIG. 2, arrow 6) to the web browser (FIG. 1, arrow 7; FIG. 2, arrow 7).
  • 7. The token is viewed by the user (FIG. 1, arrow 8, FIG. 2, arrow 8) and is captured by a personal trusted device (FIG. 1, arrow 9; FIG. 2, arrow 9).
  • 8. The PTD sends a message with captured token and the PTD UDID to the token management service (FIG. 1, arrow 10; FIG. 2, arrow 10).
  • 9. Token management service notifies authentication service (FIG. 1, arrow 11; FIG. 2, arrow 11).
  • 10. Authentication service request user credentials from the PTD (FIG. 1, arrow 12; FIG. 2, arrow 12).
  • 11. User supplies credentials (FIG. 1, arrow 13; FIG. 2, arrow 13), which are passed by PTD to authentication service (FIG. 1, arrow 14; FIG. 2, arrow 14).
  • 12. Authentication service notifies the web server of successfully completed authentication (FIG. 2, arrow 15).
  • 13. The authenticated user uses the web application (FIG. 2, arrows 16, 17, 18, 19).
  • 14. For certain sensitive web applications, such as banking and finance, the steps 3-15 may be repeated more than once during the user session.

Claims

1. A token-based user authentication system comprised of: Personal Trusted Device (PTD), possessing a unique device identifier (UDID), capable of capturing short digital sequences (tokens) via digital signal processing of optical, audio, or radio-frequency input; accepting user input needed for user authentication with embedded keyboard, touch sensors, optical sensor, or voice recognition; transmitting and receiving messages via network connection.Plurality of Token Presentation Devices that allow users to capture tokens, supplied by Authentication Service, with a PTD.Plurality of network-connected Action Servers that act on behalf of users and require the said users to be identified and authenticated.Network-connected Token Management Service that facilitates token-based authentication by: generating unique tokens upon requests coming from an Authentication Service on behalf of the Action Servers; receiving messages from PTDs that contain PTDs' UDIDs and the tokens captured by PTDs from Token Presentation Devices; establishing links between said tokens and UDIDs of the PTDs that sent the messages with the tokens; notifying the Authentication Service about the newly established links.Authentication Service that: communicates with PTDs and authenticates users with plurality of the authentication methods; maintains a database of the user records, containing a unique user identifier, UDID's of the PTDs owned by the user, the user credentials, and the user identifiers for various Action Servers; provides an interface to the Action Servers that allows association of the user identifier on an Action Server with user record in the database; provides an interface to the Action Servers that allows initiation of token-based authentication; notifies an Action Server in the event when token-based authentication previously initiated on behalf of that Action Server has been successfully completed by user via combination of the user credentials and the use of PTD associated with user's record.

2. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein the Personal Trusted Device is a mobile phone, tablet PC, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), or portable media player device connected to IP network via WiFi or carrier network or both.

3. The token-based user authentication system of claim 2, wherein the token is transmitted to the PTD with embedded camera via optical channel (including but not limited to static or dynamic one-dimensional or two-dimensional bar codes).

4. The token-based user authentication system of claim 2, wherein the token is transmitted to the PTD with embedded microphone via audio channel.

5. The token-based user authentication system of claim 2, wherein the token is transmitted to the PTD with embedded near-field communication device via radio frequency.

6. The token-based user authentication system of claim 3, wherein a Token Presentation Device is a monitor controlled by a computer, mobile phone, tablet PC, PDA, portable media player, TV set, point of sale terminal, digital projection system or other display device capable of presenting an optical representation of the token.

7. The token-based user authentication system of claim 3, wherein a Token Presentation Device is a hard copy of the token optical representation.

8. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein a network-connected Action Server is a computer system serving web applications that require user authentication.

9. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein a network-connected Action Server is a login subsystem of a computer operating system.

10. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein a network-connected Action Server is a software program that requires user authentication.

11. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein a network-connected Action Server is an actuator of a physical process including but not limited to operation of locks, switches, alarm systems, industrial equipment and machinery, and other automation systems.

12. The token-based user authentication system of claim 1, wherein a network-connected Action Server controls access to weapon systems.

13. A method of authenticating user by the system of claim 1, comprising of the combination of one or more of the following methods: UDID of user's PTD, personal identification number (PIN), password, challenge question, biometrics (including but not limited to voice print, palm scan, face recognition, iris scan, and finger print), geographic location and IP address.