Email-Domain Authentication for Passwordless User Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face inconvenience in managing multiple passwords for different websites, especially with varying length requirements, leading to a desire for a simpler and more convenient user authentication method.
Innovation Solution
A system that authenticates users based on their email domain, sending a link to access resources without requiring passwords, and periodically verifies user validity through email, deactivating inactive accounts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users are required to remember and input authentication information for multiple websites, then security is maintained, but user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that mediates between users and multiple websites. This system uses a single email address as the intermediary credential, eliminating the need for users to remember multiple passwords while maintaining security through centralized authentication management and email domain verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal authentication mechanism where a single email address can be used across multiple websites and resources. This multi-functional approach allows one credential (email) to serve multiple authentication purposes, replacing the need for website-specific passwords and improving user convenience without compromising security.
2Reliability
If different password requirements are enforced for different websites, then security is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the authentication parameter from multiple website-specific passwords to a single email address. This parameter change simplifies the authentication system by using one universal credential instead of multiple different passwords, each with different length and complexity requirements, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining security through email domain verification.
3Ease of operation
If passwordless authentication is implemented, then user convenience is improved, but security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary verification of the user's email domain before granting access. By checking whether the email domain is authorized in advance, the system ensures security is maintained even though traditional passwords are eliminated. This preliminary action allows passwordless authentication to proceed safely for verified users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system sends verification emails to users and checks for successful delivery and user interaction. This feedback loop ensures that only legitimate users with access to their email can authenticate, maintaining security while enabling convenient passwordless access for verified users.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing user authentication in a computer network. Users don't need a password or SSO integration. The system may determine the organization the user is associated with by the user's email address, and authenticate the user if the organization is authorized and stored in a storage system previously. The system may add user's information to the storage system. The system may attempt to detect when to de-provision a user by regularly sending a test email to the user's email address, and remove the user's email address from the storage system when the test email bounces.