Federated Identity Authentication Multi-Factor Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing federated identity authentication systems are vulnerable to security risks due to the use of single authentication credentials, which can lead to data security threats if credentials are leaked.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a multi-factor authentication method within the federated identity authentication process, where a server of a service provider receives authentication confirmation from an identity provider, sends a verification request to the user, and only grants access after successful verification through multiple authentication factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If single authentication credential is used for federated identity authentication, then authentication efficiency is improved, but security is worsened due to credential leakage risk

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthentication efficiencyVSAvoidsecurity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the authentication credential into multiple independent authentication factors (e.g., password, biometric data, security token). Each factor is verified separately through different authentication interfaces, so that compromise of one factor does not lead to complete authentication failure or security breach. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining authentication efficiency through automated multi-factor verification while improving security through distributed credential validation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multiple authentication factors are implemented, then security is improved, but authentication complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthentication complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an identity provider as an intermediary that manages multiple authentication factors and coordinates verification across different service providers. The identity provider aggregates authentication results and presents a unified authentication outcome to users, thereby improving security through multi-factor authentication while reducing perceived complexity by abstracting the multi-factor process into a single user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If credential verification is performed at each service provider, then security is improved, but authentication time is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesecurityVSAvoidauthentication time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary authentication at the identity provider before the user accesses individual service providers. The identity provider pre- verifies multiple authentication factors and establishes user credentials in advance. When users access service providers, the pre-performed verification results are reused, thereby improving security through comprehensive credential checking while reducing authentication time by eliminating redundant verification steps at each service provider.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4083830B9Identity authentication method and apparatus, and related device
Publication Date: 2025.04.30 HUAWEI CLOUD COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES CO LTD
  • EP4083830B9 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4083830B9 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4083830B9 patent drawingFigure 2B~3

AI summary

An identity authentication method and apparatus, and a related device are provided. The method includes: A server of a service provider receives a message indicating that a user identity of a user has been authenticated by a server of an identity provider, where the message includes information about a verification method bound to the user. The server of the service provider sends a verification request to a user terminal based on the information about the verification method. The server of the service provider receives a verification code sent by the user terminal, and performs verification on the verification code. When the server of the service provider has verified the verification code, the server of the service provider generates an access credential corresponding to the user, and sends the access credential to the user terminal, where the access credential indicates that the user has permission to access the server of the service provider. According to the foregoing method, in a process of implementing federated identity authentication, an identity of a user is confirmed through multi-factor authentication, to prevent a risk that is caused to user data security due to leakage of an identity credential of a single system