Browser Substitute Token Generation During Network Outages

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Solution Overview

Problem

In the context of electronic transactions, network outages can prevent the generation of low-value tokens, disrupting secure transactions and posing security risks for merchants and users, as they may be forced to handle sensitive data directly, compromising security.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and system that enables a user browser to generate a substitute low-value token when a token service is unavailable, using software content provided by a content delivery network, ensuring continued secure transaction processing without compromising security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If tokenization is implemented to replace sensitive data with tokens, then data security is improved, but transaction availability deteriorates when the token provider experiences network outages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidtransaction availability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by having the user browser generate and cache substitute low-value tokens in advance, before the actual transaction occurs. This preliminary token generation capability ensures that when the token service becomes unavailable during a transaction, the browser already has substitute tokens ready to use, thus maintaining transaction availability without compromising the security benefits of tokenization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The user browser acts as an intermediary between the token service and the merchant system. When the token service is unavailable, the browser generates substitute tokens locally and presents them to the merchant system, effectively mediating the transaction process and preventing the outage from blocking transactions. This intermediary role maintains both security (by not exposing sensitive data) and availability (by providing alternative tokens).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If merchants handle sensitive data directly during network outages, then transaction continuity is improved, but security deteriorates due to increased exposure to data breaches

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction continuityVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses substitute low-value tokens that are generated temporarily by the user browser when the token service is unavailable. These substitute tokens are designed to be short-lived and single-use, replacing sensitive data only for the duration of the necessary transaction. This approach allows transaction continuity while minimizing security risk, as the substitute tokens have limited value and lifespan compared to permanent sensitive data storage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS20230298012A1Systems and methods for substitute low-value tokens in secure network transactions

Publication Date: 2023.09.21 WORLDPAY LLC

AI summary

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling the creation of substitute low-value token creation, comprising providing software content to a content delivery network wherein, when transmitted to a user browser, the software content is configured to enable the user browser to create a substitute low-value token if a token service is unavailable, wherein the content delivery network is configured to provide the software content to at least one user browser, and receiving the substitute low-value token from a merchant system, the substitute low-value token having been generated by the user browser in response to the user browser being unable to obtain a low-value token from the token service.