Biometric Recovery Tokens for Stateless Account Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing account recovery methods are unreliable and vulnerable to compromise, as they rely on stored biometric data that can be intercepted or reverse engineered, leading to potential identity theft and account access issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that generates a persistent unique identifier (PUI) and biometric keys from user characteristics, discards any storage of biometrics, and uses these to create recovery tokens for secure account access without permanent storage, ensuring high-entropy and non-invertible representation of biometric data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If biometric data is stored for account recovery, then account recovery reliability is improved, but security against compromise deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the biometric information from its original stored form and transforms it into a different representation (recovery token) that can verify identity without containing the actual biometric data. The recovery token is generated from the biometric data but does not store the biometric data itself, thus extracting the essential verification function while removing the security vulnerability of storing sensitive biometric information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable, short-lived cryptographic tokens instead of permanently storing biometric data. Each recovery token is generated temporarily and discarded after use, replacing the persistent storage model with an ephemeral one. This approach maintains account recovery functionality while eliminating the long-term security risks associated with storing biometric data.
2Reliability
If biometric data is stored permanently, then account access assurance is improved, but risk of identity theft increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary element - the recovery token - that mediates between the biometric data and the account access verification. Instead of directly storing and using biometric data, the system converts biometric data into a recovery token that serves as an intermediary representation. This token can verify identity without exposing the actual biometric data, thus reducing identity theft risk while maintaining account access assurance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of data representation from storing raw or processed biometric data to storing cryptographic recovery tokens. This parameter change transforms the nature of the stored information from sensitive biometric data to non-sensitive cryptographic artifacts that can verify identity without revealing the underlying biometric information, thereby reducing identity theft risk.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If recovery vehicles are configured on specific devices, then security is improved, but accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the recovery token system universal and device-agnostic. Instead of tying recovery vehicles to specific devices, the recovery token can be generated and used across multiple devices. The system retrieves the recovery token based on account identification rather than device identification, allowing users to access their accounts from any device while maintaining security through the cryptographic token verification process.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method and system for recovering access to a user account following an instance of incapacity such as lockout, takeover, etc. Through development and transmission of a Persistent Unique Identifier (PUI) for the user, account recovery enrollment and ensuing recovery operations can be instituted to leverage a stable biometric key representation of a user's unstored biometric. Such a key can be formulated to be included, along with the user's PUI and a counter value, in an account recovery token that may be unlocked using the same user's biometric to grant account access.