Authentication Token Generation with Split Encrypted Identities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication systems are vulnerable to security breaches due to the storage of encrypted user identities on servers, which can be exploited by attackers, and profile users based on their authentication data, violating privacy principles.
Innovation Solution
Implement a system where a generic encrypted identity is split into shares stored on user and authentication systems, requiring joint computation to derive a specific encrypted identity for each service provider, minimizing the need for direct storage of identifiable data and reducing profiling capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encrypted user identities are stored on the authentication server, then authentication functionality is enabled, but security is compromised as the server becomes a single point of breach
Solution Approach 1:
The encrypted user identity is divided into two separate shares: the first share is stored on the authentication server while the second share is stored on the user's device. This segmentation ensures that neither party alone possesses the complete encrypted identity, eliminating the single point of breach vulnerability while maintaining authentication functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication protocol embeds multiple layers of verification within a single flow: the user device provides the second share and authentication data, the authentication server provides the first share and transforms the encrypted identity, and both parties cooperate to derive the final authenticated identity. This nested structure ensures security without compromising functionality.
2Reliability
If the authentication server stores and processes user authentication data, then authentication is enabled, but privacy is compromised due to profiling capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication server extracts and processes only the necessary cryptographic shares and encrypted identities without storing or accessing identifiable user information. The user device holds the second share and authentication data locally, preventing the server from profiling users while maintaining full authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The encrypted identity acts as an intermediary that carries user identification information encrypted form. The authentication server works with this encrypted intermediary rather than direct user data, enabling authentication while preventing privacy breaches and profiling.
3Ease of operation
If a single encrypted user identity is stored on the server, then authentication is simplified, but security is weakened as attackers can impersonate users
Solution Approach 1:
The encrypted user identity is segmented into two shares distributed differently: the first share on the authentication server and the second share on the user device. This segmentation maintains authentication simplicity while preventing impersonation, as an attacker cannot obtain the complete encrypted identity without compromising the user device.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments are directed to an authentication system (100; 101; 102) for computing an authentication token for a service provider to authenticate a user system to the service provider, the authentication system comprising a processor configured to jointly blind with a user system an encrypted user identity and to compute an encrypted identity for the service provider from the blinded encrypted user identity.