Display Capture for Encoded Visual Code Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing QR code-based authentication systems are vulnerable to phishing attacks, as malicious users can trick authorized users into scanning cloned QR codes, allowing unauthorized access to secure resources.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that securely verifies encoded visual codes by capturing the entire display medium, including both the QR code and network address, using techniques such as optical time-of-flight, optical depth-detection, and gyroscope-based orientation data to validate the network address and ensure it originates from a trusted source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If QR code-based authentication is used to enable quick data transfer and user authorization, then authentication efficiency is improved, but security against phishing attacks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication verification into multiple independent checks: (1) detecting display medium boundaries to ensure the QR code is on a legitimate device screen, (2) validating the network address associated with the QR code against a whitelist of approved addresses, and (3) verifying the QR code content. This segmentation allows the system to maintain quick authentication while adding multiple security layers that prevent phishing attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing a whitelist of approved network addresses before the authentication process. During authentication, the system proactively checks whether the network address in the QR code matches any address in the pre-approved whitelist. This preliminary preparation enables rapid validation without compromising security, as the checking logic is already in place and does not require complex real-time analysis.
2Reliability
If display detection techniques are applied to verify the display medium boundary, then authentication security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component - a display detection module - that acts as a mediator between the QR code scanning process and the authentication validation. This module specifically detects whether the captured image contains complete display medium boundaries (such as the edges of a screen). By isolating this detection function, the system adds security without significantly complicating the overall architecture, as the intermediary handles the complex detection task independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by focusing the display detection technique specifically on verifying the presence of display medium boundaries in the captured image, rather than analyzing the entire image content. This localized approach checks only the critical boundary regions to confirm the QR code is displayed on a legitimate device screen, adding security without requiring complex global image analysis.
3Reliability
If network address validation is implemented to verify trusted sources, then security against phishing is improved, but authentication time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing a whitelist of approved network addresses before the authentication process. During authentication, the system proactively checks whether the network address in the QR code matches any address in the pre-approved whitelist. This preliminary preparation enables rapid validation without compromising security, as the checking logic is already in place and does not require complex real-time analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by maintaining a replicated whitelist of approved network addresses in the authentication system. Instead of performing complex real-time verification of each network address, the system copies the trusted addresses into a local reference list and performs simple string matching. This copying approach dramatically reduces validation time while maintaining security, as the system only needs to compare against pre-stored known-good addresses.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively prevents phishing attacks by ensuring that the QR code is validated only if it originates from a trusted source, thereby securing access to secure resources and protecting against unauthorized access.
Implementation Method 1
The display detection technique may include an optical time-of-flight technique
Implementation Method 2
The display detection technique may include an optical depth-detection technique
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for securely verifying encoded visual codes together with network address information. Techniques include: obtaining a first capture of a visual display, the visual display being generated on a display medium; applying a display detection technique based on the obtained first capture; determining, based on the display detection technique, whether a boundary of the display medium is identified; identifying, within the first capture, an encoded visual representation of a data element and a network address; determining whether the network address is valid; and determining whether to validate the encoded visual representation based on the determination of whether the network address is valid.