Cross-Channel Verification via Security Markers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Customer-facing channels like text messages and emails lack authentication mechanisms, making it difficult for enterprises to verify the authenticity of communications, whereas mobile applications are highly secured but operate on different protocols.

Innovation Solution

A cross-channel verification system that uses a secure mobile application to launch a lightweight background application, which scans communications from email and SMS for a security marker, integrating biometric security to authenticate and verify the legitimacy of messages across channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If different communication channels (SMS, email) are used for customer communication, then communication versatility is improved, but security verification capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication versatilityVSAvoidsecurity verification capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a background application as an intermediary component that bridges the secure mobile application and external communication channels (SMS, email). This background application scans communications from alternative channels and verifies them against the security markers established during mobile app authentication, enabling cross-channel verification without compromising the security architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The secure mobile application is extended to perform multiple functions: it not only handles secure communications internally but also verifies communications from external channels (SMS, email) through the background application. This multi-functionality allows a single authentication mechanism to serve multiple communication channels, ensuring consistent security verification across all channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If mobile applications use strong biometric verification, then authentication security is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The authentication system is segmented into distinct components: the main mobile application handles user authentication and generates security markers, while a separate background application performs the scanning and verification of communications. This segmentation allows each component to have focused functionality, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining strong security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The background application operates autonomously after being launched, continuously scanning communications for security markers without requiring active user intervention. This self-service capability reduces the burden on users while maintaining high security standards, as the verification process occurs automatically in the background.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If cross-channel verification is implemented, then communication security is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The background application serves as a dedicated intermediary layer that handles all cross-channel verification tasks. It receives communications from SMS and email channels, scans them for security markers, and reports verification status to the main application. This intermediary approach isolates verification logic from the main application flow, managing system complexity through modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The verification system implements partial verification by focusing on specific security markers rather than comprehensive analysis of all communication content. This selective verification approach provides sufficient security for fraud detection while avoiding the excessive complexity of analyzing every aspect of communications in detail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20240281813A1Real-time cross-channel verification
Publication Date: 2024.08.22 BANK OF AMERICA CORP
  • US20240281813A1 patent drawing
  • US20240281813A1 patent drawing
  • US20240281813A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for verification of a communication across communication channel technologies. A secure mobile device application may authenticate a user and launch a background application. The background application may interact with multiple different communication channels, such as an email application and an SMS application. The background application may scan a communication received at one of these channels for a security marker. When the security marker is not present, the mobile device application may display an alert associated with the communication. The scan may be limited to ensure the privacy of the communication content. The scan parameters may be configured at the mobile device application.