Encoded Animated Images for Fast Phishing-Resistant OTP Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication methods for device transactions on digital banking channels are vulnerable to phishing and social engineering attacks, and require all frames to be read sequentially for OTP decoding, making them unsuitable for high-security banking contexts.

Innovation Solution

An encoded animated image is used to encode an OTP code across multiple frames, allowing decoding with a subset of frames, and authenticated by a back-end server using a reversible encoding function, combined with client device recognition for enhanced security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the OTP is encrypted in all frames as disclosed in US 2009/249077 A1, then security is improved, but the decoding process becomes unworkable and unreliable because all frames must be read in sequence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication reliabilityVSAvoiddecoding operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The payload is divided into multiple parts and distributed across different frames of the animated image. Each frame contains a portion of the encoded data, and the complete payload can be reconstructed by collecting any sufficient number of frames. This segmentation allows flexible decoding without requiring all frames to be read in sequence, resolving the contradiction between security and ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If all frames must be read to decode the OTP, then complete authentication data is obtained, but the process is too slow and unsuitable for banking contexts requiring high speed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication completenessVSAvoidprocessing speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows decoding of the OTP using only a subset of frames rather than requiring all frames to be read. The payload is designed so that sufficient authentication data can be obtained from fewer frames than the total number of frames in the animated image, enabling faster processing while maintaining authentication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Ease of operation

If traditional authentication methods are used, then user-friendly security is achieved, but the system remains vulnerable to phishing and social engineering attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser-friendly securityVSAvoidphishing vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses an animated image that can be displayed on any device's screen and captured by the device's camera. This creates a self-contained authentication mechanism where the OTP is embedded in a visual format that can be read by the user's own device, eliminating the need to communicate sensitive codes through vulnerable channels like SMS or email, thus reducing phishing vulnerability while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12634140B2Encoded animated images and methods of generating, displaying, and reading encoded animated images, in particular for authorizing operations on online services

Publication Date: 2026.05.19 INTESA SANPAOLO SPA

AI summary

An encoded animated image comprising a plurality of frames configured to be displayed sequentially on a graphical interface, an encoded payload including an OTP, a transaction identification code to be authorized and the details of said transaction, the payload being distributed over at least two frames of the plurality of frames according to a reversible encoding function; and a method for generating, displaying and reading the encoded animated image.