Biometric Authentication Using Homomorphic Encryption and Masking Codes

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Solution Overview

Problem

The frequent occurrence of personal information leakage in low-security communication environments due to hacking or malicious code, particularly during user authentication between terminal devices and servers, necessitates a method to minimize the decryption process and enhance security.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device and server system that employs homomorphic encryption, using tag information and biometric data to create and verify cryptograms, ensuring only authorized devices and servers can decrypt and authenticate, thereby preventing malicious access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If user authentication is performed by transmitting biometric data between terminal device and server, then authentication functionality is achieved, but personal information leakage risk increases due to low-security communication environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidpersonal information leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the biometric information from its original form and transforms it into a cryptogram through encryption. The biometric data is converted into a biometric code string, then encrypted into a first cryptogram that can be transmitted safely without exposing the actual biometric information. This extraction and transformation prevents personal information leakage while maintaining authentication functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces masking codes as an intermediary element between the biometric data and the authentication process. The masking code string and masking encryption code string act as mediators that obscure the actual biometric information during transmission and processing. The server and terminal device use these masking elements to perform distance calculations on encrypted data without exposing the underlying biometric information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If biometric data is transmitted in plaintext for authentication, then authentication process is simple, but security is compromised due to hacking and malicious code

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication process simplicityVSAvoidcommunication security

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of data representation from plaintext biometric data to encrypted cryptograms. The biometric data undergoes parameter transformation through encryption algorithms, converting it into a different form (cryptogram) that maintains the essential information needed for authentication while preventing unauthorized access. The masking codes further transform the parameters by adding layers of encryption that preserve functionality while enhancing security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If decryption process is performed frequently for authentication verification, then authentication accuracy is improved, but security risk increases due to more decryption operations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication accuracyVSAvoidsecurity vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary encryption actions on the biometric data before transmission, creating the first cryptogram and masking encryption code in advance. The server also performs preliminary preparation by storing the second masking code and preparing the authentication information in encrypted form. This preliminary action reduces the need for frequent decryption operations during authentication verification, as the encrypted forms can be directly compared and processed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potentially harmful decryption operations into beneficial encrypted comparisons. Instead of decrypting data for comparison, the system performs distance calculations directly on the encrypted cryptograms and masking codes. The encryption, which could be seen as a barrier to accurate comparison, is actually converted into a security feature that enables accurate authentication while preventing security vulnerabilities associated with decryption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS12015703B2Electronic device for user authentication, server, and control method therefor

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic device is disclosed. The device may comprise: a storage unit in which tag information is stored; a communication unit; and a processor which: acquires a biometric code string from biometric data sensed by a sensor; transmits a first cryptogram obtained by encrypting the biometric code string and the tag information, a first masking code, and a first masking encryption code obtained by encrypting the first masking code to the server through the communication unit; when tag information contained in a second cryptogram received from the server is identified as a value acquired on the basis of the stored tag information, decrypts the second cryptogram so as to acquire a value obtained by adding a distance value and a second masking code derived from the second cryptogram; and transmits the acquired value to the server through the communication unit, wherein the distance value includes a distance value between the biometric code string and a biometric code string already stored in the server, and the second masking code includes a code acquired by the server on the basis of the first masking code.