SECURITY METHOD OF A TRANSACTION BETWEEN A MOBILE DEVICE AND A SERVICE PROVIDER SERVER VIA A PLATFORM

Description

GENERAL TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to securing data exchanges between a mobile terminal and a server.

[0002] It relates more particularly to a method for securing a transaction between this terminal and the server of a service provider via a service platform capable of being connected to a platform for accessing the internet network of a mobile network managed by an operator. STATE OF THE ART

[0003] The provision of goods or services by a service provider to a customer often requires the completion of a transaction between the service provider and the customer in exchange. Most service providers offer their customers a secure payment solution by credit card to implement such a transaction. To do this, a service provider must have a dedicated fixed payment terminal connected via a communications network to a banking server. However, such a solution may not be suitable for some service providers, particularly mobile service providers such as workers, craftsmen, or taxi drivers.Furthermore, the use of a bank card does not guarantee the anonymity of its user, the name of the user appearing on the card, nor the confidentiality of his banking data, the information appearing on the card being able to make a purchase on the Internet without knowing the associated bank card code.

[0004] Online payment solutions offer secure, paperless payments that do not require the service provider to own a dedicated terminal. Such payment solutions guarantee the user's anonymity with respect to the service provider. In addition, using the payment solution platform as a trusted third party ensures the confidentiality of the solution user's banking data, which is not transmitted to the service provider.

[0005] However, such solutions operate over the Internet and require the user to enter a username and password on a terminal connected to the network to complete a transaction. Many hacking techniques allow hackers to learn this username and password, then usurp the user's identity with the payment solution and order transactions without the user's knowledge. Such hackers can, for example, intercept communications between the user and the payment solution's server, hack into the server, or install spyware on the user's terminal.

[0006] Furthermore, such solutions seem ill-suited to use in a situation where neither the customer nor the service provider can easily access a fixed terminal, such as on board a taxi or at a market or flea market stall. The use of such payment solutions often requires the user to enter a lot of data, such as their username, password, amount, service provider ID, etc. A transaction using such a service can then be difficult to implement using a mobile terminal.

[0007] There is therefore a need for a method for securely implementing a transaction, for example a banking transaction or a payment, between a user and a service provider, without requiring the use of a fixed or dedicated terminal and without requiring the user to enter a lot of data. Such security must in particular guarantee the anonymity of the user and the confidentiality of their banking data with respect to the service provider or a potential hacker.

[0008] US2006235761A1 relates to a method for authorizing an online transaction between a buyer and a merchant. The method comprises providing, via an identity provider, verification of the buyer's identity. The method also comprises providing, via a payment provider, verification of the buyer's ability to pay for the transaction, the identity provider and the payment provider being different network entities. Also provided is a computer system that can perform an online transaction between a buyer and a merchant providing one or more goods and / or services. The computer system comprises a first node configured to provide verification of the buyer's identity, and a second node configured to provide verification of the buyer's ability to pay for the transaction, the first node and the second node being associated with different network entities. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention thus relates, according to a first aspect, to a method for securing a transaction between a mobile terminal of a user via a platform connected to the mobile terminal via a platform for accessing the Internet network of a mobile network of an operator, to the server of the service provider and to a system for executing transactions as defined in independent claim 1.

[0010] In this process, the platform serves as a communication intermediary, a transaction execution terminal and a trusted third party between the user's mobile terminal, the service provider's server and the transaction execution system.

[0011] As a trusted third party, the platform serves to store confidential data about the user's identity, such as alias data and the user's identification code with the transaction execution system.

[0012] As a communication intermediary, the platform allows an anonymous connection of the user via his mobile terminal with the service provider in which the user is known to the service provider only through his alias data. This connection is carried out securely via the mobile network, in particular in that it is the user identifier, by means of which the mobile terminal is identified to the mobile network, which makes it possible to determine the alias data used for the connection with the service provider. Thus, when the platform is implemented by the mobile network operator and is therefore connected to the network infrastructure of this mobile network, only this mobile network operator will be able to determine the alias data allowing the connection.

[0013] As a transaction execution terminal, the platform is used to receive data representing a transaction to be executed and to transmit a transaction execution order to the transaction execution system. In the case of a payment transaction, the platform thus plays the role of a fixed payment terminal. This therefore makes it possible to execute a transaction without the need to deploy dedicated payment terminals at each geographical site where the user needs to make a payment or execute a transaction.

[0014] Such a method thus makes it possible to carry out a secure transaction between the user and the service provider without the identity or identification codes with the transaction execution system of the user of the mobile terminal being revealed to the service provider.

[0015] The step of storing a correspondence of the method according to the first aspect comprises storing a correspondence between an identifier of the service provider and said identification code of the service provider with the transaction execution system.

[0016] The platform thus stores the bank details of the service provider so that it can subsequently communicate them to the banking system for the implementation of a transaction.

[0017] The transaction data may include a transaction code that identifies the transaction to be executed with the service provider, an identification of at least one service or product to be provided by the service provider, and / or a transaction amount.

[0018] The method according to the first aspect may further comprise the following steps: storing a user authentication code in association with the user's identification code, transmitting to the mobile terminal a request to enter said authentication code, receiving a code entered by said user and comparing the entered code with the stored authentication code, transmitting the transaction execution order if the entered code and the stored authentication code are identical.

[0019] In such an implementation mode, the platform stores another confidential data, namely an authentication code of this user, and verifies this authentication code. The verification of such an authentication code by the platform makes it possible to protect against identity theft by a hacker who has stolen the user's mobile terminal.

[0020] The transaction data receiving step of the method according to the first aspect may comprise: a reception from the mobile terminal of the transaction data following an entry of said transaction data carried out by means of said mobile terminal; a generation of said transaction execution order from said received transaction data and the alias data.

[0021] The step of receiving transaction data may comprise receiving and transmitting to the server of the service provider the transaction code following an entry of said transaction code carried out by means of said mobile terminal.

[0022] This transaction code serves as a link between the transaction to be implemented and the user's mobile terminal through which the transaction is validated. In particular, it allows an association to be made between the alias and the transaction.

[0023] This allows the user's transaction code and alias data to be transmitted to the service provider without the service provider and the user being in direct contact. The service provider thus becomes aware of the user's intention to establish a transaction with it for an amount corresponding to the transaction code and can identify the user's mobile terminal by its alias data, while preserving the user's anonymity.

[0024] Said transaction code being associated with an amount of the transaction, following the reception of said transaction code, the step of receiving transaction data of the method according to the first aspect may comprise a matching of the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal, the amount of the transaction and the identifier of said service provider;

[0025] The purpose of such a matching step is to define the transaction, i.e. to link: the user's alias data, identifying the user's mobile terminal without revealing his identity, the service provider identifier, identifying the service provider with which the user of the mobile terminal wants to conduct a transaction, and the amount of this transaction.

[0026] In a first embodiment, the step of matching the method according to the first aspect further comprises the following steps beforehand: determining the amount of said transaction corresponding to said transaction code received; transmitting to the mobile terminal a validation request message comprising the determined transaction amount; receiving a transaction validation message transmitted by the mobile terminal, said message comprising the data, the amount of said transaction and the identifier of said service provider with the platform; and in which the transaction execution order is transmitted to the transaction execution system if the validation message from the mobile terminal is received by the platform.

[0027] The user can thus confirm his willingness to enter into a transaction with this service provider for such an amount and give the platform all the information it needs to have the transaction executed by the transaction execution system.

[0028] In a second embodiment, the matching step of the method according to the first aspect further comprises the prior reception of a transaction request message transmitted by the server of the service provider, said message comprising the alias data, an amount of said transaction and the identifier of said service provider with the platform;

[0029] The transaction can thus be requested from the platform directly by the service provider, without requiring additional intervention from the user of the mobile terminal, as soon as the service provider knows which user terminal, identified by its alias data, wants to initiate a transaction and for what amount.

[0030] The transaction code may be a code temporarily associated by the service provider's server with the transaction amount or a code identifying equipment capable of providing the transaction amount to said service provider.

[0031] The user identifier may be an identifier associated with a user identification module of the mobile terminal.

[0032] This ensures that the user ID used correctly identifies the user's mobile device.

[0033] The connection of the method according to the first aspect can be carried out securely via a virtual private network (VPN) established between the platform and the service provider server.

[0034] This strengthens the security of data exchanges between the platform and service providers, as any device outside the operator's network attempting to connect to a service provider's server is rejected.

[0035] The storage step of the method according to the first aspect may further comprise a prior step of receiving a registration message from said service provider transmitted by said server of the service provider and comprising the identification code of the service provider.

[0036] The service provider can thus register for the secure transaction service with the platform by providing its banking data, so as not to have to transmit it again during a secure transaction. The service provider can thus be one of the providers with which the platform can offer a user to initiate a transaction.

[0037] The storage step of the method according to the first aspect may further comprise a prior step of receiving a registration message from the user of the mobile terminal transmitted by the mobile terminal and comprising the user's identification code and optionally the user's authentication code.

[0038] The mobile terminal user can thus register for the secure transaction service with the platform by providing their banking data, so as not to have to transmit it again during a secure transaction. The user can also optionally choose their own authentication code, for example to make it easier for them to remember.

[0039] The present invention relates according to a second aspect to a system comprising a mobile terminal of a user, a server of a service provider, a platform serving as an intermediary between the mobile terminal and the server and being connected to the mobile terminal via a platform for accessing the internet network of a mobile network of an operator, the system being configured to implement the method according to the first aspect. PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0040] Other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description of an embodiment. This description will be given with reference to the appended drawings in which: there figure 1 schematically illustrates material means for a possible implementation of the invention; figure 2 schematically illustrates hardware means for a possible implementation for the invention according to which the communications use the HTTP protocol; the figure 3 illustrates an example of transmission of the alias and geographic coordinates of the mobile terminal to the platform; figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d illustrate an example of access by a user of a mobile terminal to a service available with entry of a USSD code according to an embodiment of the invention; the figure 5 is a diagram schematizing an example of implementation of a storage phase of a method for securing a transaction according to an implementation mode of the invention; the figure 6 is a diagram schematizing an example of implementation of a transaction phase of a method for securing a transaction according to an implementation mode of the invention; the figures 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d illustrate examples of display on the user's mobile terminal for carrying out the method of securing transactions between the user of the mobile terminal and a service provider according to an implementation mode of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] In reference to the figure 1 , An implementation of the invention relates to a method for securing a transaction between a mobile terminal 1 of a user and a server 3 of a service provider via a platform 2 capable of being connected to the mobile terminal 1 via a mobile network 4 managed by an operator, to the server 3 of a service provider and to a transaction execution system 11. In the example application of the invention described below, the transaction execution system is a banking system 11 for executing payment transactions.

[0042] The mobile terminal 1 is capable of being connected to the mobile network 4 and may comprise a secure element 5. Such a secure element 5 is capable of storing secure data in a memory, and may consist, for example, of a smart card comprising a microprocessor connected by a data bus to a random access memory and to a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory or an EEPROM memory and securely storing in its non-volatile memory data and applications executable by said microprocessor. The secure element is typically a SIM card (“Subscriber Identity Module”), often called a “subscriber identification module”, referred to in this document as a “user identification module”.

[0043] When connecting to the mobile network, the mobile terminal is identified by the operator's mobile network by means of at least one user identifier.

[0044] This user identifier is an identifier associated with the secure element 5, for example the subscriber identifier (IMSI number, “International Mobile Subscriber Identity”) and / or the telephone number (MSISDN number, “Mobile Station Integrated Service Digital Network Number”). Such a user identifier is unique and also serves as an identifier of the user identification module.

[0045] In this regard, the notion of user identifier represents indifferently in this document: a user, as a natural person, subscriber to a customer account with a mobile network operator (whether it is a customer account with or without a subscription, with or without a prepaid account, etc.) and, a user, as a mobile terminal, connected to the mobile network, identified and distinguished from other connected mobile terminals by means of the user identification module housed in this terminal.

[0046] The user, a natural person, having subscribed to a customer account with the mobile network operator is recognized by means of such a user identifier as a priori user of the mobile terminal through the user identification module housed in the mobile terminal used, regardless of the natural person actually using this mobile terminal and regardless of the mobile terminal in which the user identification module is housed.

[0047] The method described below is implemented by the platform 2 and allows the secure implementation of a transaction between the server of the service provider 3 and the mobile terminal 1 without disclosing to the service provider either the identity of the user or the bank details of the user.

[0048] To do this, the platform 2 acts as an intermediary between the mobile terminal 1 and the server 3. The user's mobile terminal is identified to the server 3 only by an alias data item. The correspondence between this alias and the real identity of the user of the mobile terminal remains unknown to the server 3 which never enters into direct communication with the mobile terminal 1. In addition, the aliases cannot be used in another context or by another entity in the network. The use of such an alias for the identification of the mobile terminal by the service provider's server also makes it possible to avoid the user of the mobile terminal having to enter a username and password to identify themselves to the server.

[0049] The platform 2 also acts as an intermediary between the banking system 11 and the parties involved in the transaction, i.e. the user and the service provider. For this purpose, the platform 2 may be connected to a storage device 10, for example in the form of a database, which stores an identifier of the service provider with the platform associated with an identification code of the service provider with the banking system. Such an identifier may be the name of the provider, its company name, or any coded data enabling the service provider to be identified, such as the IP address of its server.

[0050] The storage device 10 also stores a correspondence between: the alias data associated with the user identifier by means of which the user's mobile terminal is identified to the operator's mobile network, the alias data used to identify the mobile terminal to the service provider's server; and a code for identifying the user of the mobile terminal to the transaction execution system.

[0051] Such identification codes of the user of the mobile terminal and the service provider may be a bank card number or an account number such as a RIB or IBAN type identifier.

[0052] The storage device may also store an authentication code relating to the user that the user must enter for each transaction to validate the transaction and authorize the banking system to implement it for the benefit of the service provider.

[0053] The user's mobile terminal 1 may consist of a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet, a games console, a laptop, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or any other mobile terminal equipped with a secure element 5 and wireless communication means allowing it to access the mobile network 4. The mobile terminal 1 may be a mobile phone of any type, with or without a large screen, a GPS chip, or touch input means. The mobile terminal 1 includes at least one software application, such as a browser, capable of displaying a web page such as an HTML or PHP page or, more generally, of establishing a communication link with a remote server. Thus, such a mobile terminal 1 is not necessarily a smartphone.

[0054] The server of the service provider 3 comprises a RAM and storage means such as a rewritable non-volatile memory (flash memory or EEPROM memory) capable of storing a database and processing means comprising a processor. The server may also comprise interface means enabling it to connect to the platform 2, of the wired type such as an Ethernet link, or wirelessly such as a Wifi or Bluetooth connection. Such a server may also be connected via a USB, Ethernet, Firewire, eSata, etc. connection to an external storage device such as an external hard drive or a network hard drive (“NAS”). Such a server is dedicated to providing a service or a product to a user and may also provide a mobile site intended to be displayed by the browser of the user's mobile terminal 1.Such an online service may be provided by the service provider on behalf of a physical establishment such as a store, museum, exhibition center.

[0055] The platform 2 may comprise a proxy server, a data processing module 12 comprising a processor and storage means such as a rewritable non-volatile memory (flash memory or EEPROM memory) capable of storing or being connected to a database, in particular the storage device 10 described above. Said platform 2 may also comprise an interface module 13, of the wired type such as an Ethernet link, or wireless such as a Wifi or Bluetooth connection allowing it to connect on the one hand to said mobile network and on the other hand to the server 3 of the service provider and to the banking system 11.

[0056] Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can be established between platform 2 and the service provider's server 3. Such virtual private networks can be seen as an extension of local networks and allow the logical security that can be had within a local network to be preserved. They actually correspond to an interconnection of local networks via a "tunnel" technique that secures the transmitted data, by implementing cryptographic algorithms. Thus, a service provider can refuse any communication from an entity other than the platform and is inaccessible to search engines and Internet robots, as well as to hackers who would try to connect to it. The security of data exchanges between the platform and the service provider's server is thus greatly improved.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the invention, the communications between the mobile terminal 1, the mobile network 4, the platform 2, the server of the service provider 3 and the banking system 11 use the http protocol. The hardware means corresponding to such an implementation of the invention are represented in figure 2 .

[0058] The mobile network 4 may consist of a mobile telephone network of the GSM, GPRS, UMTS, LTE type, etc. Communications on this network may be secured, in particular by encryption of the data exchanged. For example, the mobile telephone network shown in the figure 1 is a GSM type mobile network comprising a base station (BTS) 6 connected to the mobile terminal 1 and at least one subscriber geographic location register (HLR or "Home Location Register") 7. The HLR consists of a central database of the mobile network operator, containing information relating to any user authorized to use this network and in particular his location in the network. The HLR contains in particular the following information characterizing the user himself: the IMSI ("International Mobile Subscriber Identity"), unique identifier of the user and which is also written on the SIM card, the IMEI ("International Mobile Equipment Identity") defining the Mobile Station used, generally, the user's mobile phone, the MSISDN indicating the international call number via which the user can be reached...

[0059] The mobile network also comprises a processing module 8 for generating alias data from at least one user identifier associated with the secure element 5 such as the IMSI and / or the MSDISDN provided by the HLR 7. Such a processing module 8 is included in a platform 9 for accessing the Internet network allowing terminals of the mobile network to access the Internet network via the mobile network or to be connected to such an entity 9. This access platform is commonly called WISP (“Wireless Internet Service Provider”). The processing module 8 and the WISP platform will subsequently be confused.

[0060] The alias data may result from any transformation of this user identifier or these user identifiers, for example a transformation by application of a hash function. The transformation function is chosen such that the alias data obtained by transformation is unique and permanent, thus allowing unequivocal identification by the platform 2 of the natural person subscribing to the customer account and also of the user's mobile terminal. This alias data is used as the unique identifier of the user's mobile terminal 1 with the server 3 of the service provider.

[0061] The alias data may be generated at the time of production and / or configuration of the user identification module, or at the time of the first connection to the operator's mobile network of a mobile terminal integrating this user identification module. The generated alias data is stored in association with a user identifier in a database specific to the operator. The alias data is permanent and does not change during subsequent connections to the mobile network. The alias data thus serves as an anonymized identifier of the mobile terminal and / or the user of this mobile terminal and / or the subscriber identification module of this terminal.

[0062] The platform 2 is designed to obtain this alias data, when establishing the connection of the mobile terminal to the platform via the mobile network and to transmit this alias to the server 3 of the service provider as the user identifier during any communication between the mobile terminal and the server of the service provider. An embodiment using the HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) protocol is described below and illustrated with reference to figures 2 et 3 .

[0063] The mobile terminal establishes a connection with the platform via the mobile network. During this connection, the mobile terminal is identified by at least one connection device of the operator's mobile network which obtains the user identifier associated with the mobile terminal.

[0064] According to a first variant, the user enters a network address such as an IP address or an http address on the browser of his mobile terminal 1 to connect to the platform 2. This address can then be added to favorites. For example, a first HTTP request is sent by the terminal containing the URL ("Uniform Resource Locator") corresponding to the platform: http: / / urlp / , where 'urlp' is the Web domain managed by the platform.

[0065] According to a second variant illustrated in figures 4a à 4d , a unique USSD (“Unstructured Supplementary Service Data”) code 14, for example, #100# may have been defined to facilitate the connection of the mobile terminal 1 to the platform 2. The user can then enter the USSD code on the keypad of his mobile terminal 1 and receive in response a message allowing him to connect to the platform such as an SMS message 15 in the body of which is the address of the platform 2. Such an SMS can be replaced by any type of message processed by the mobile network 4 of the operator, for example an MMS.

[0066] The entered address is sent to the WISP 9 of the operator's network. The WISP 9 only authorizes access from mobile terminals 1 recognized by the mobile network 4, i.e. for which a user identifier can be obtained, for example by querying the user identification module 5. Any connection attempt by a terminal that does not have a user identification module, or trying to connect from other networks such as the Internet, is refused by the WISP.

[0067] The received URL is enriched by the WISP by inserting the alias data ('aa') and possibly location area information 'xy'. The enriched URL is then for example in the form http: / / urlp / aa / xy / . The WISP 9 can obtain this information by querying equipment in the operator's mobile network such as the HLR 7 and the processing module 8. During such a query, the WISP can provide an identifier of the mobile terminal: for example a user identifier contained in the user identification module of the mobile terminal requiring a connection to the platform 2.

[0068] After identification of the mobile terminal by the operator's mobile network following the request for connection of the mobile terminal to the platform and during the establishment of the connection between the mobile terminal and the platform, the alias data associated with the user identifier of the mobile terminal during a step E1 is transmitted to the platform.

[0069] The platform does not need to query the mobile terminal to obtain location information from the mobile terminal 1. No agreement to transmit geolocation data from the user of the mobile terminal 1 is required since the platform 2 is part of the operator's equipment. The WISP 9 can also transmit to the platform 2 the identifier of the operator of the mobile network 4. This information can be transmitted to the platform 2 by the WISP (Wireless Internet Service Provider) of the mobile network 4 in the form of a URL such as an http link, as illustrated in figure 3 .

[0070] The platform receives the first HTTP request containing the enriched URL, and extracts the alias and any location area information. The platform therefore has no knowledge of the user ID(s) used to generate the alias data.

[0071] Then, the platform can offer the mobile terminal a list of available servers to which the mobile terminal may want to connect, i.e. with which the user of the terminal may want to initiate a transaction by returning a list 16 of possible URLs corresponding to the different servers. Such a list can be established by the platform based on the location area information of the mobile terminal transmitted by the WISP. This list can then be advantageously classified in ascending order of distance between the geographical location area of ​​the mobile terminal 1 and the geographical location of the service provider as illustrated in figure 4c .According to a variant, the platform 2 also returns a page comprising a list when it determines that only one server is available to the user. Alternatively, the platform can directly connect the mobile terminal to the only available server, in a given geographical area around the location of the mobile terminal for example, and transmit the first HTTP request to this server. If the platform 2 identifies that no server is available to the user, it returns to the mobile terminal 1 a page indicating that no server is available in the geographical area in which the user is located. To send messages to the mobile terminal, such as for example pages comprising lists of available servers, the platform can send these messages to the WISP accompanied by the alias data used to identify the recipient of the message.

[0072] When the platform routes the first HTTP request directly to the only available server, it adds the web domain 'url3a' managed by the available server and removes the location zone information from the URL beforehand, if applicable: http: / / urlp / url3a / aa / .

[0073] When the platform returns a list of URLs to the terminal, these URLs are in the form http: / / urlp / url3a http: / / urlp / url3b http: / / urlp / url3c where url3a, url3b, url3c are the web domains managed by different servers 3a, 3b, 3c respectively.

[0074] When multiple servers are accessible, one server is selected from the transmitted list.

[0075] In a first variant, the user selects the server himself from the list displayed on the mobile terminal, for example by entering his choice in an input field 17 illustrated in figure 4d . A message identifying the server selected from among the available servers is then transmitted from the mobile terminal 1 to the WISP. The WISP retransmits this message to the platform after adding the alias data identifying the user's mobile terminal and possibly the information on the location area of ​​the mobile terminal. This information can be transmitted by the WISP to the platform in the form of a URL such as an http address.

[0076] In a second variant, a server selection rule is applied in order to automatically select a server. The selection rule is for example based on criteria such as: proximity between the geographical location of the connection area of ​​the mobile terminal and that associated with the server, order of preference defined between the servers, newness of the server, type of server (cinema, restaurant, supermarket, etc.) or others. In this variant, it is the platform 2 which identifies at least one server selected from the available servers determined by applying a selection rule. Confirmation may be requested from the user.

[0077] Following this identification of the selected server, the platform 2 can send data relating to the selected server to the mobile terminal 1. For example, the platform 2 can send a web page to the mobile terminal 1. This page is then displayed by the browser of the mobile terminal 2 in order to provide information to the user.

[0078] When the mobile terminal subsequently sends an HTTP request to the platform for the server of the service provider 3, the WISP intercepts this HTTP request and inserts the alias data 'aa' and possibly location area information 'xy': http: / / urlp / url3a / aa / xy for example. The platform then routes the HTTP request to the server concerned, after possibly removing the location area information from the URL: http: / / urlp / url3a / aa / .

[0079] The HTTP request enrichment mechanism just described will be used for all requests sent by the mobile terminal to the platform. For example, commands that can be entered by the mobile terminal 1, such as clicking on a link or a button in a page sent by the service provider, are sent by the mobile terminal 1 to the WISP. The latter forwards them to the platform by replacing any identity information of the mobile terminal 1 with the alias data generated by the processing module 8 for the mobile terminal 1. The platform then forwards these commands with the alias data to the service provider's server.

[0080] The platform 2 can also connect the server of the service provider 3 with the mobile terminal 1 of the user for the provision of service data other than Internet page type pages. It can transmit such service data accompanied by alias data identifying their recipient to the WISP which, thanks to its knowledge of the correspondence between the alias data and the user identifier of the mobile terminal 1, can transmit such data to the mobile terminal 1 on behalf of the server of the service provider 3. The mobile terminal can thus be sent SMS or MMS type messages. For example, the exchanges of such data between a server of a service provider, the platform and the WISP can be done via the FTP protocol or the SNPP protocol for example.

[0081] According to an unclaimed variant, the platform 2 can transfer a request to send an electronic message such as an email on behalf of the service provider 3 accompanied by the alias data to the WISP which will be responsible for transmitting the electronic message to the recipient thanks to its knowledge of the correspondence between the alias data and the user identifier of the mobile terminal.

[0082] According to another variant, the platform 2 can also establish a voice communication between the mobile terminal 1 identified by a first alias data item and the server of the service provider 3 or another mobile terminal identified by a second alias data item, following a request for voice connection sent by a server of a service provider. If the two alias data items belong to a single operator, the platform transmits the request for voice connection accompanied by the two alias data items to the single operator concerned, which is then responsible for establishing the voice communication between the caller and the called party.

[0083] If the two alias data belong to two different operators, the platform transmits the called party's voice connection request along with their alias to the operator concerned, in return the latter sends the platform a temporary call number. The platform then transmits the caller's second alias and the temporary call number to the second operator, who is responsible for establishing voice communication between the caller and the called party.

[0084] The platform 2 may provide the user with a personal administration web page to which the user can connect from his mobile terminal 1 to check personal information such as his email address, his identification code or his authentication code, and to correct this information if necessary. Optionally, the user can also specify on this page whether he agrees to receive messages from service providers by SMS, email, or voice communication and can also specify a maximum number of messages that he agrees to receive by these means over a given period, for example a week or a month.

[0085] Such a web page is accessible from the mobile terminal 1 by connecting to the address of the platform's public site. When processing a connection request to this page by the operator's network, the WISP adds to the URL of this page the alias data identifying the user of the mobile terminal. When a mobile terminal connects to this page for the first time, the platform creates a personal administration space linked to the alias data of the mobile terminal. During all subsequent connections, the platform will automatically give the user of the mobile terminal access to this personal space without the user having to provide a username or password.

[0086] Alternatively, such a page is a web page accessible from any device connected to the Internet. In order to identify the personal space he or she is seeking to access, the user sends an SMS containing a particular keyword to a predefined number from his or her mobile terminal. When sending this SMS to the platform, the operator replaces the sender's number with the alias of the mobile terminal. Upon receipt of the SMS, the platform transmits an identification code to the mobile terminal identified by its alias. This code may be delivered to the mobile terminal in the form of an SMS according to the process described above. The user's entry of the identification code on the platform's web page then allows him or her to access the administration space linked to his or her mobile terminal.

[0087] To enable the implementation of a secure and anonymous transaction between the user and the service provider, a first storage phase E0, represented in Figure 5 , is first implemented during which the user and the service provider can register with the platform to provide it with their identification code and during which the user's authentication code can be defined so that the latter stores a correspondence between the alias data and the user's identification code with the transaction execution system 11.

[0088] The platform may further store a correspondence between the service provider identifier and the service provider identification code with the transaction execution system 11.

[0089] A transaction phase, represented in figure 6 ,is then implemented during which the platform carries out the following steps: reception E1 of the alias data when establishing a connection between the mobile terminal and the platform via the mobile network and following identification of the mobile terminal by the mobile network by means of said user identifier, connection E2, via the platform 2 and via the mobile network, of the user's mobile terminal with the server of the service provider, said alias data serving to identify the mobile terminal with said server of the service provider, reception E3 of transaction data representative of a transaction to be executed between the user of the mobile terminal and said service provider, transmission E5 to the transaction execution system 11 of an order for execution of the transaction comprising said user identification code and said service provider identification code with the transaction execution system,so that the transaction execution system implements said transaction.

[0090] The steps performed during the implementation of the process are described in more detail in the following paragraphs. Phase de mémorisation

[0091] During an E0 storage step, the user and the service provider can register with the platform to later take part in a secure transaction.

[0092] This storage step E0 may comprise a first reception step E01 during which the platform receives a registration message from the service provider transmitted by the latter's server. This registration message from the provider may comprise the identification code of the service provider. The service provider may also, during this step, indicate a physical address characterizing the geographical location of its physical establishment. In a non-limiting embodiment, the physical address may correspond to the geographical center of a service activity without the service provider necessarily having a physical establishment at said address. A single service provider may register several geographically distant physical establishments or several geographically distant service activities.

[0093] The service provider may also provide information such as a maximum distance of a user from the indicated geographical location to establish a transaction, allowing the platform 2 to determine a geographical availability zone in which the server of the service provider may be offered to a user of a mobile terminal 1 when connecting to the platform. In the absence of provision of such information, a geographical zone corresponding to a disk centered on the indicated geographical location and having a default radius value may be retained. Such a geographical zone may not exceed the territory covered by the mobile network operator 4. A geographical zone may correspond to one or more location cells managed by the mobile network operator.The extent of the geographical area is thus variable and depends on the maximum range of the BTS of the cell(s) corresponding to the defined geographical area.

[0094] This storage step E0 can then comprise a first storage step E02 during which the platform stores in the storage device 16 the identification code of the service provider received associated with the identifier of the service provider.

[0095] The platform thus stores the bank details of the service provider so that it can subsequently communicate them to the banking system for the implementation of a transaction.

[0096] The enrollment step E0 may also comprise a second reception step E03 during which the platform receives a registration message from the user of the mobile terminal transmitted by the latter. This user registration message may comprise the user's identification code. According to the mechanism described above, this message also comprises the user's alias data, inserted by the WISP, and identifying the mobile terminal of the user wishing to register with the platform.

[0097] User registration may also require the user to set their authentication code so that they can use it later during a transaction to validate it.

[0098] According to a first variant E041, the storage step E0 comprises a first code generation step during which the user's authentication code is generated by the platform and transmitted to the user.

[0099] According to a second variant E042, the authentication code is generated by the user himself. The user can choose it and enter it on his mobile terminal or trigger a random generation of the authentication code by the mobile terminal. The generated authentication code can then be included in the registration message of the user of the mobile terminal transmitted by the latter to the platform during the second reception step E03.

[0100] According to a third variant, the user's authentication code is generated by the banking system. The storage step E0 may then comprise a third reception step E05 during which the platform receives an enrollment message transmitted by the banking system, said enrollment message comprising the user's authentication code generated by the banking system. The sending of this message by the banking system to the platform may follow the sending by the platform to the banking system of a request to generate an authentication code for the user. The authentication code may thus be defined as corresponding to another code already known to the user and used by the latter within the banking system, such as his bank card code or an access identifier for a remote banking service, without requiring the user's intervention.It is also therefore unnecessary to transmit a message indicating the chosen authentication code between the platform and the user, limiting the risks of interception of such a message by a hacker.

[0101] The storage step E0 may finally comprise a second storage step E06 during which the platform stores in the storage device 16 the user's alias data associated with his identification code and possibly with the user's authentication code.

[0102] The platform thus memorizes for each registered user, whose mobile terminal is identified by its alias data, its identification code with the banking system in order to be able to transmit it to the banking system during a subsequent transaction, and possibly its authentication code in order to verify the validation of the transaction by the user. Phase de transaction

[0103] The following paragraphs describe the steps implemented during the transaction phase to securely execute a transaction between the mobile terminal user and the service provider, for a certain amount called the transaction amount.

[0104] The transaction phase first includes the step of receiving the E1 alias data. During this step, the platform receives from the WISP the alias data associated with the mobile terminal that requested its connection to the platform. The platform can verify that the user of the mobile terminal has registered beforehand, that is to say that it has an identification code associated with this alias data. During this step, the platform can offer the mobile terminal a list of service provider servers with which the mobile terminal may wish to communicate to initiate a transaction.

[0105] The connection step E2 allows the mobile terminal to communicate with the server of the service provider with which the user wishes to initiate a transaction, via the platform. No direct connection is established between the mobile terminal and the server of the service provider and all exchanges between these two entities pass through the platform which forwards each message to its recipient. The mobile terminal is identified to the server of the service provider only by the alias data, thus preserving the anonymity of the user. The connection of the mobile terminal to the server of the service provider via the platform may result in the display on the mobile terminal of the mobile site proposed by the server of the service provider.Such a page may offer the user of the mobile terminal a selection of products or services for which the user may wish to initiate a transaction through his mobile terminal.

[0106] The purpose of the E3 transaction data reception step is to define the transaction, i.e. to link: the user's alias data, identifying the user's mobile terminal without revealing his identity, and with which is associated the user's identification code with the transaction execution system, the service provider identifier, identifying the service provider with which the user of the mobile terminal wants to conduct a transaction, and with which is associated the service provider's identification code with the transaction execution system, and the amount of this transaction.

[0107] The transaction data received by the platform may include, in particular, the amount of the transaction, an identification of at least one service or product to be provided by the service provider or a transaction code which identifies the transaction to be executed with the service provider.

[0108] Transaction data may be transmitted directly by the mobile terminal to the platform, for example in the case of a transfer, or may be defined in cooperation with the service provider's server, for example in the case of a transaction resulting from a selection by the user of the mobile terminal of a product or service on the service provider's website.

[0109] According to a first variant, the step of receiving transaction data E3 may comprise a step of receiving transaction data from the mobile terminal E311 during which the platform receives transaction data from the mobile terminal following an entry of this transaction data carried out by means of the mobile terminal. The user of the mobile terminal can for example directly manually enter on his mobile terminal the amount of a transfer and an identifier of the service provider. The user can also use his mobile terminal to scan a barcode or read an RFID tag in order to obtain an amount of an item or a service and an identifier of the service provider. The transaction data transmitted by the mobile terminal are accompanied by the alias data associated with it, inserted by the WISP in the message transmitted to the platform.

[0110] The transaction data reception step E3 may then comprise a step E312 of generating the transaction execution order from said received transaction data and the alias data. The platform may use the alias data to retrieve the user identification code necessary for defining the transaction. Similarly, it may use the service provider identifier to retrieve the service provider identification code. Alternatively, if the transaction data does not contain a service provider identifier, the platform may select as the service provider identification code for the transaction the identification code associated with the service provider with which the mobile terminal has communicated via the platform.

[0111] According to a second variant, the user of the mobile terminal can initiate the transaction by entering a transaction code identifying the transaction to be executed with the service provider and corresponding to a certain transaction amount. This transaction code may have been generated by the service provider's server and temporarily associated with a transaction amount. The transaction code may also identify equipment capable of providing the transaction amount to said service provider.

[0112] The service provider may have communicated to the user of the mobile terminal said transaction code, possibly accompanied by the amount of the associated transaction. This transmission may for example be implemented orally or by the delivery of a paper invoice, such as a cash register receipt, or even by e-mail or by a screen display in the case of a remote transaction. The user of the terminal thus becomes aware of the transaction code associated by the server of the service provider with the amount of the transaction that this user wishes to conduct with the service provider.

[0113] The transaction data reception step E3 then includes a reception step E321 by the platform of the transaction code transmitted by the mobile terminal. This code may have been entered on a page of the mobile site offered by the service provider's server as shown in figure 7a .

[0114] The transaction data reception step E3 then comprises a transmission step E322 by the platform of the transaction code to the server of the service provider to which the user's mobile terminal is connected. The service provider thus becomes aware that a user identified by his alias data wants to initiate a transaction with him for an amount corresponding to the transaction code transmitted.

[0115] The step of receiving transaction data E3 then comprises a step of matching E323 the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal, the amount of the transaction and the identifier of said service provider.

[0116] According to a first variant, the service provider can request the platform to trigger the execution of the transaction between itself and the mobile terminal of the user identified by its alias data, for the transaction amount associated with the transaction code provided. The matching step E323 can then comprise a request step E3232 during which the platform receives a transaction request message transmitted by the server of the service provider and comprising the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal and the amount of the transaction.This request message may also include the identifier of the service provider, identifying the service provider to the platform, or this identifier may be deduced by the platform from the reception of the message, for example based on a code or an electronic address identifying to the platform the server of the service provider having transmitted the message. According to one embodiment, the server of the service provider may consist of a mobile terminal similar to that of the user, also connected to the platform by a mobile network and the identifier of the server of the service provider to the platform may be an alias data similar to that identifying the mobile terminal of the user.The platform then also has no knowledge of the identity of the service provider and the operator's WISP includes the service provider's alias data in all messages transmitted by the service provider's server to the platform. The platform then matches the mobile terminal user's alias data, the transaction amount and the service provider's identifier.

[0117] According to a second variant, validation of the transaction amount may be requested from the user before requesting execution of the transaction from the platform. For this, the matching step E323 may comprise a step E32311 of determining the amount of said transaction corresponding to said received transaction code, and a step E32312 of transmitting to the mobile terminal a validation request message comprising the determined transaction amount. The platform may receive from the service provider's server the amount associated with the transaction code and generate the validation request message. Alternatively, the platform may directly receive the validation request message and thus become aware of the transaction amount before retransmitting this message to the mobile terminal.

[0118] This validation request message may include the service provider identifier and the transaction amount. This validation request message may optionally recall the transaction code entered by the user, as shown in figure 7b . The matching step E1 then comprises a reception step E32313 of a transaction validation message transmitted by the mobile terminal, said message comprising the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal, the amount of said transaction and the identifier of said service provider with the platform. This message automatically includes the alias data of the user inserted by the WISP. The platform then carries out the matching E323 of the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal, the amount of the transaction and the identifier of the service provider.

[0119] The transaction execution order is only transmitted to the transaction execution system 11 during the execution order transmission step E5 if the validation message from the mobile terminal is received by the platform.

[0120] Through the steps just described, the platform becomes aware of both parties to the transaction and the amount thereof without the identity of the mobile terminal user being known to the service provider and without requiring the mobile terminal user to enter a lot of data. Once connected to the platform, the mobile terminal user only has to choose the service provider if several are offered by the platform and enter the transaction code.

[0121] The transaction phase can then include, when during the storage step E0 an authentication code relating to the user has been stored, steps of: transmission E41 to the mobile terminal 1 of a request to enter said authentication code, reception E42 of a code entered by said user and comparison of the code entered with the stored authentication code, transmission E5 of the order to execute the transaction if the code entered and the stored authentication code are identical.

[0122] During the transmission step E41, the platform transmits to the mobile terminal of the user identified by the alias data, a request to enter their authentication code, as shown in figure 7c . This request may include the service provider ID and the transaction amount.

[0123] The user's knowledge of his authentication code is then verified by comparing the authentication code entered by the user with the authentication code associated with the user's alias data of the mobile terminal stored by the platform.

[0124] To do this, the user enters their authentication code on their mobile terminal to indicate their agreement to the transaction and to prove that the transaction is not being carried out by an imposter who has stolen their mobile terminal.

[0125] The mobile terminal then transmits the authentication code entered by the user to the platform.

[0126] The platform compares, during a step E42, the authentication code entered on the mobile terminal and transmitted by the mobile terminal and the authentication code stored by the platform in the storage device associated with the alias data of the user of the mobile terminal. In the event of a positive comparison, that is to say if the authentication code entered and the stored authentication code are identical, the user is authenticated and the platform can then order the execution of the transaction.

[0127] The transaction phase finally comprises the transmission step E5 during which the platform transmits to the transaction execution system an order to execute the transaction between the user and the service provider, this transaction order comprising the identification codes of the user and the service provider so that the banking system implements this transaction. The platform can retrieve the identification codes of the user and the service provider from the alias data of the user and the identifier of the service provider and the associations stored in the storage device 10 during the first and second storage steps E02 and E06. This transaction execution order can be generated from transaction data received during step E3 and in particular the amount of the transaction, and the alias data.

[0128] Once the transaction has been successfully completed by the transaction execution system, the platform may receive a confirmation message from the transaction execution system. The platform may then, during a confirmation sending step E6, transmit to the mobile terminal and / or the service provider a transaction success confirmation message, as shown in figure 7d . The confirmation message sent to the mobile terminal can be an email or an SMS. The confirmation message sent to the service provider can be an email, but also an SMS if the service provider has a mobile terminal, for example if the service provider's server is itself a mobile terminal.

[0129] A transaction can thus be carried out securely, on a network separate from the Internet, without the identity or banking details of the user of the mobile terminal being revealed to the service provider, without requiring this user to enter a lot of data on his mobile terminal, and without requiring a fixed and / or dedicated infrastructure from the service provider.

Claims

1. Method for securing a transaction between a mobile terminal (1) of a user and a server (3) of a service provider by way of a platform (2) connected to the mobile terminal via an access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of a mobile network (4) of an operator, to the server (3) of the service provider and to a transaction execution system (11), the method comprising the following steps: - generation by said access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of the mobile network (4) of an item of alias data associated with a user identifier by means of which the mobile terminal (1) is identified by the mobile network (4) of the operator in a database specific to the operator, the platform (2) having no knowledge of said user identifier; - storage (E0) by the platform (2) of a correspondence between a user identification code at the transaction execution system (11) and the alias data, - establishment of a connection between the mobile terminal (1) and the platform (2) by way of the access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of the mobile network (4) to the Internet network of the mobile network (4), - reception (E1) by the platform from the access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of the mobile network (4) of the alias data during the establishment of the connection between the mobile terminal (1) and the platform (2), - linking (E2), by way of the platform (2) and via the access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of the mobile network (4) to the Internet network of the mobile network (4), the mobile terminal (1) of the user with the server (3) of the service provider, said alias data being used by said server (3) of the service provider to identify the mobile terminal (1), the access platform (9) replacing the user identifier with the alias data when the mobile terminal (1) communicates with the server (3) or the platform (2) and identifying, by means of the user identifier associated with the alias data, the mobile terminal (1) when the server (3) or the platform (2) communicates with the terminal (1), - reception (E3) by the platform (2) of transaction data representative of a transaction to be executed between the user of the mobile terminal (1) and said service provider, - transmission (E5) by the platform (2) to the transaction execution system (11) of an order to execute the transaction comprising said user identification code and an identification code of the service provider at the transaction execution system (11) such that the transaction execution system (11) implements said transaction.

2. Method according to Claim 1, wherein the alias data is an anonymized, unique and permanent identifier.

3. Method according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the step of storing (E0) a correspondence comprises storage by the platform of a correspondence between an identifier of the service provider and said identification code of the service provider at the transaction execution system (11).

4. Method according to Claim 3, wherein the transaction data comprise a transaction code which identifies the transaction to be executed by the service provider.

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transaction data comprise an identification of at least one service or product to be provided by the service provider.

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transaction data comprise a transaction amount.

7. Method according to Claim 1, comprising the following steps: - storage by the platform (E0) of a user authentication code in association with the user identification code, - transmission by the platform (E41) to the mobile terminal (1) of a request to input the authentication code, - reception by the platform (E42) of a code from the mobile terminal (1) input by the user and comparison of the entered code with the stored authentication code, - transmission by the platform (E5) of the transaction execution order when the entered code and the stored authentication code are identical.

8. Method according to Claim 1, wherein the step of receiving (E3) transaction data comprises: - reception by the platform (E311) from the mobile terminal (1) of the transaction data following input of the transaction data performed by means of the mobile terminal (1), - generation by the platform (E312) of said transaction execution order on the basis of said received transaction data and the alias data.

9. Method according to Claim 4, wherein the step of receiving (E3) the transaction data comprises: - reception by the platform (E321) from the mobile terminal (1) of the transaction code, and - transmission by the platform (E322) to the server of the service provider of the transaction code received following input of the transaction code performed by means of the mobile terminal (1).

10. Method according to Claim 9, wherein, with said transaction code being associated with an amount of the transaction, following reception of said transaction code, the step of receiving (E3) transaction data comprises matching by the platform (E323) of the alias data, the amount of the transaction and the identifier of said service provider.

11. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the matching step further comprises the following steps beforehand: - determination by the platform (E32311) of the amount of said transaction corresponding to the transaction code received; - transmission by the platform (E32312) to the mobile terminal (1) of a validation request comprising the amount of said transaction corresponding to said received transaction code; - reception by the platform (E32313) of a transaction validation message transmitted by the mobile terminal (1), said message comprising the alias data, the amount of said transaction and the identifier of said service provider at the platform (2); and wherein the transaction execution order is transmitted to the transaction execution system (11) if the validation message from the mobile terminal (1) is received by the platform (2).

12. Method according to Claim 10, wherein the matching step further comprises, beforehand, reception by the platform (E3232) of a transaction request message transmitted by the server (3) of the service provider, said message comprising the alias data, an amount of said transaction and the identifier of said service provider at the platform (2).

13. Method according to one of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the transaction code is a code temporarily associated by the server (3) of the service provider with the transaction amount or a code identifying an equipment capable of providing the transaction amount to said service provider.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the user identifier is an identifier associated with a user identification module (5) of the mobile terminal (1).

15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the linking is carried out securely by way of a virtual private network (VPN) established between the platform (2) and the service provider server (3).

16. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage step (E0) further comprises, beforehand, a step of reception by the platform (E01) of a registration message of said service provider transmitted by said server (3) of the service provider and comprising the identification code of the service provider.

17. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the storage step (E0) further comprises, beforehand, a step of reception by the platform (E03) of a registration message of the user of the mobile terminal transmitted by the mobile terminal (1) and comprising the identification code of the user.

18. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein the storage step (E0) further comprises, beforehand, a step of reception by the platform (E03) of a registration message of the user of the mobile terminal (1) transmitted by the mobile terminal (1) and comprising the authentication code of the user.

19. System comprising a mobile terminal (1) of a user, a server (3) of a service provider, a platform (2) serving as an intermediary between the mobile terminal (1) and the server (3) and being connected to the mobile terminal (1) via an access platform (9) for accessing the Internet network of a mobile network (4) of an operator, the system being configured to implement the method according to one of Claims 1 to 18.