App State Verification for Personalized Transaction Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-factor authentication (MFA) systems are vulnerable to attacks such as dictionary attacks and SIM swapping, as they rely on traditional methods that are easily replicable by nefarious users, lacking a personalized layer of security.
Innovation Solution
An authentication system that checks the state of one or more other applications on a user's device, requiring them to be in specific states or transition within a specified period, using standardized or custom APIs, and incorporates user input for tailored security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional single-factor authentication methods (passwords, PINS) are used, then the authentication process is simple and easy to operate, but the security is insufficient and vulnerable to dictionary attacks and SIM swapping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces application state verification as an intermediary authentication factor. Instead of relying solely on traditional credentials (passwords, PINS), the system verifies the state of other applications on the user's device (e.g., whether a messaging app has received a specific message, or a banking app shows a particular balance). This intermediary verification layer adds security without requiring users to manage complex authentication flows, as the system automatically checks application states in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system leverages the user's existing application ecosystem to perform verification automatically. By checking the states of applications that the user already has installed and uses regularly (such as messaging apps, banking apps, or social media apps), the system utilizes resources the user already possesses without requiring additional hardware or complex setup. The application states serve as self-verifying authentication factors that are inherently difficult to replicate without access to the user's device and applications.
2Reliability
If multi-factor authentication systems combine multiple verification methods, then security is enhanced, but the authentication process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically verifies application states without requiring active user participation in the verification process itself. While the user must have the applications installed and running, the actual authentication verification happens in the background through automated state checking. This eliminates the need for users to manually complete multiple verification steps, making the process as simple as using their existing apps while maintaining strong security through automated multi-factor verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of authentication from traditional credentials (passwords, PINS) to application state parameters. By verifying parameters such as whether an application is installed, whether it is running, whether it has received specific content, or whether it displays particular information, the system creates a more secure authentication mechanism. These state parameters are inherently more difficult to replicate than traditional credentials, and the verification process automatically checks multiple parameters in parallel, maintaining simplicity.
3Reliability
If application state verification is implemented, then a personalized layer of security is added that is difficult to replicate, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The application state verification framework serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides authentication verification, leverages the user's existing application ecosystem, and creates a personalized security profile without requiring separate systems for each function. The same mechanism that verifies application states also establishes the personalized security layer, and the framework can work with various types of applications (messaging, banking, social media) without requiring custom implementation for each app type, thereby reducing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums that enhance transaction authentication of a transaction of a first application by checking that a state of one or more other applications matches prespecified states or that one or more of those applications transition states within a prespecified period of time. For example, the prespecified states may correspond to the application being installed on a specified device (e.g., of the user) and having an authenticated session with a specified user.