Cognitive Access Control via Image Element Analysis

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing access control methods that rely on obfuscated alphanumeric codes struggle to distinguish human users from software agents, as increased distortion to prevent software interpretation often renders the code uninterpretable by humans, necessitating a balance that compromises effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

An access control system that generates a single image from multiple image elements, accompanied by a question requiring cognitive analysis to determine an image attribute value, making it difficult for software agents to mimic human cognitive processes while remaining interpretable by humans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the alphanumeric code is increasingly distorted to reduce the risk of interpretation by a software agent, then the security effectiveness is improved, but the interpretability by a human user deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity effectivenessVSAvoidinterpretability by human user
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical system of obfuscated alphanumeric codes with a cognitive processing system. Instead of relying on visual distortion, the system uses image generation from multiple elements and cognitive questions that require human reasoning abilities, thereby substituting a system based on visual perception with one based on cognitive analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of verification from visual obfuscation level to cognitive processing requirement. By transforming the verification mechanism from detecting visual patterns to requiring cognitive analysis of image relationships, the system shifts the parameter space where security effectiveness can be improved without compromising usability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If a software system applies filters and character recognition technology to decipher obfuscated codes, then the ability to interpret the code is improved, but the effectiveness of distinguishing human users from software agents deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecode deciphering capabilityVSAvoideffectiveness in distinguishing human from software
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical character recognition system with a cognitive reasoning system. Instead of using filters and pattern recognition to decipher codes, the system presents images requiring cognitive analysis of relationships between multiple image elements, thereby substituting a mechanically solvable problem with one requiring human cognitive abilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamics by making the verification challenge adaptive and context-dependent. The cognitive questions are generated based on the specific image elements presented, creating a dynamic verification process that adapts to each user interaction rather than using a static, predetermined code structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP1952300B1Method, system and computer program product for access control
Publication Date: 2011.07.06 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • EP1952300B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1952300B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1952300B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An access control method in a computer system comprising the steps of: generating an image having first and second image elements, each of the image elements having associated an element type name and an image attribute, the image attribute including an attribute name and an attribute value; generating an access control question including an identifier of the first image element and the attribute name of the image attribute associated with the first image element; receiving an access control response; in response to a determination that the access control response corresponds to the attribute value of the image attribute associated with the first image element, providing access to a resource in the computer system.