Hardware Identifier Validation for Cashless Payment Security

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing authentication protocols in cashless payment systems are vulnerable to hardware security flaws, making it difficult to detect and prevent unauthorized transactions originating from compromised hardware components, which can survive operating system updates and factory resets.

Innovation Solution

A computing system that validates individual hardware components by storing and comparing unique hardware identifiers from authentication data to a hardware table, ensuring that only authentic, original components can proceed with the payment process, thereby enhancing security and bypassing compromised hardware.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional authentication protocols are used, then cashless payment convenience is maintained, but security vulnerability to hardware attacks increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidauthentication process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the authentication process into multiple independent validation stages: hardware component identification, hardware identifier extraction, authentication data verification, and transaction authorization. Each stage operates independently to validate specific aspects of the authentication process, allowing the system to maintain security while managing complexity through modular processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a hardware identifier as an intermediary element that bridges the gap between hardware component validation and authentication data verification. This intermediary hardware identifier serves as a trusted reference that mediates the authentication process, enabling security validation without requiring direct complex interactions between hardware components and authentication protocols

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If hardware component validation is implemented, then security against malicious hardware is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehardware authentication reliabilityVSAvoidauthentication processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary validation by extracting and verifying hardware identifiers during the authentication data collection phase, before the actual authentication decision is made. This preliminary action includes validating the hardware component's presence and integrity early in the process, which prevents time-consuming re-validation later and speeds up the overall authentication process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical hardware inspection methods with electronic identifier-based validation. Instead of physically examining hardware components, the system uses electronic hardware identifiers that can be quickly read and verified through software, significantly reducing processing time while maintaining security effectiveness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If multiple verification processes are used, then authentication security is enhanced, but processing efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidtransaction processing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple verification processes into a unified authentication flow where hardware validation, identifier verification, and authentication checks are combined into a single integrated process. This merging eliminates redundant verification steps and allows the system to achieve comprehensive security through coordinated validation rather than sequential multiple processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal validation framework that handles multiple types of verification (hardware validation, identifier verification, authentication verification) through a single multi-functional process. This universal approach allows the same validation mechanism to serve multiple security purposes simultaneously, improving efficiency while maintaining comprehensive security coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12165138B2Apparatus, system and method for on-device mutlifactor authentication security

Publication Date: 2024.12.10 MASTERCARD INT INC

AI summary

Systems, apparatuses and methods may provide for technology to store hardware details associated with a plurality of hardware components of a computing device. The technology further extracts a first hardware identifier from first authentication data received from the computing device, where the first hardware identifier is associated with a first hardware component of the computing device, and determines whether to validate the first hardware component based on a comparison of the first hardware identifier to a first hardware detail of the hardware details.