Authentication with dynamic user identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional user identifier and password-based authentication systems are susceptible to credential theft and compromise, leading to unauthorized access, and multi-factor authentication methods like OTPs fail to address these issues, while also being cumbersome for users.
Innovation Solution
Implement a dynamic user identifier (DID) system combined with biometric authentication, where a time-based token (TOTP) serves as the UID and facial recognition or other biometrics verify the user, eliminating the need for static credentials and enhancing security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional static user identifier and password authentication is used, then the system is simple to implement and users are familiar with the method, but the system is susceptible to credential theft and compromise leading to unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static user identifier into a dynamic one-time identifier (OTI) that changes with each authentication attempt. The OTI is generated using a cryptographic function that takes a secret key and a counter, producing a unique identifier that is valid for only one authentication attempt. This dynamic approach prevents credential theft because even if an attacker intercepts the OTI, it cannot be reused. The system maintains simplicity by automatically generating and managing these dynamic identifiers without requiring users to manually create or remember multiple credentials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the user identifier from static to dynamic by introducing time-based or counter-based one-time identifiers. The authentication system generates OTIs that are valid for a single use or a limited time window, fundamentally altering how identifiers are perceived and managed. This parameter change enhances security while maintaining user experience through automated generation and validation processes that occur transparently in the background.
2Reliability
If multi-factor authentication with OTP is implemented, then security is enhanced, but the authentication process becomes cumbersome for users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the user identifier and authentication token into a single one-time identifier (OTI) that serves both purposes. Instead of requiring users to separately enter their username and OTP, the system generates a unified OTI that combines both identification and authentication functions. This merging eliminates the need for users to manage separate credentials and reduces the number of input steps, making the authentication process as convenient as traditional login while maintaining enhanced security.
Solution Approach 2:
The one-time identifier serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as the user identifier, the authentication token, and the session key. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate authentication factors and steps, streamlining the user experience while providing robust security. The universal OTI can be used across different authentication scenarios and systems, providing a versatile solution that enhances security without adding operational complexity for users.
3Reliability
If dynamic user identifier with biometric validation is used, then unauthorized access risk is significantly reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication service that mediates between the user's biometric data and the authentication system. The service captures biometric information (such as fingerprint, facial recognition, or iris scan), processes it through cryptographic functions to generate the one-time identifier, and validates it against the authentication server. This intermediary layer handles the complexity of biometric processing and cryptographic operations, allowing the core authentication system to remain relatively simple while achieving high security through biometric validation.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment includes receiving, from a device, at an authentication service, a dynamic user identifier having a one-time password in an authentication message constructed to carry the dynamic user identifier in place of a pre-determined user identifier of a user. The embodiment locates in a profiles database, using a customized search query with a code based on the dynamic user identifier, a user profile. The embodiment receives at the authentication service, a secondary identification data of the user including a biometric information of the user. The embodiment validates the biometric information using the user profile and enables, when the validating is successful, the device to perform an operation. The enabling is not based on the authentication service validating an entirely static user identifier and is not based on the authentication service validating a manually typed password.