ID Token Secure Memory Attribute Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electronic transaction methods in e-commerce and e-government lack a secure and user-friendly solution for authenticating users and accessing payment information while ensuring privacy protection, as they often require complex cryptographic key management and may not adequately protect against unauthorized data access or malicious software.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing an ID token with a secure memory area, where user authentication and ID provider system authentication are combined, using a SAML request-response protocol with end-to-end encryption and a pseudonym-based approach to securely read attributes from the ID token, ensuring user consent and privacy by not requiring the ID token to sign read attributes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If standard electronic payment methods are used, then transaction convenience is improved, but security and privacy protection deteriorate due to lack of adequate protection against unauthorized data access
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments transaction data into two parts: attributes stored in the secure memory area of the ID token (e.g., account identifiers) and transaction-specific data (e.g., payment amounts, merchant information). The secure memory area protects only the essential attributes, while transaction data are handled separately through encrypted communication channels, reducing the risk of unauthorized access to complete transaction information.
Solution Approach 2:
The service computer system acts as an intermediary between the ID provider computer system and the user's ID token. It receives attributes from the ID token, encrypts them, and transmits only necessary information to the ID provider for authentication, preventing direct exposure of sensitive user data and transaction history.
2Reliability
If cryptographic key management is implemented for security, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation worsen due to complex key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The ID token's secure memory area autonomously manages cryptographic operations for protecting stored attributes. The system performs self-authentication by verifying the integrity of stored attributes without requiring external key management infrastructure, reducing complexity for both users and system administrators.
Solution Approach 2:
Cryptographic protection of attributes is pre-configured in the secure memory area during ID token issuance. The attributes are stored with embedded security mechanisms that automatically authenticate their integrity during transactions, eliminating the need for complex runtime key management and reducing operational complexity.
3Measurement precision
If complete transaction data is stored and processed, then measurement precision and transaction tracking are improved, but privacy protection deteriorates due to potential transaction history recording
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only essential attributes (e.g., account identifiers, user permissions) from complete transaction data and stores them in the secure memory area. Transaction-specific details (amounts, timestamps, merchant information) are processed separately through encrypted channels, ensuring that the secure storage contains minimal information necessary for authentication while maintaining transaction tracking capabilities.
4Reliability
If ID token signs read attributes for authentication, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation and flexibility worsen due to additional cryptographic operations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring the ID token to sign all read attributes, the system implements partial authentication where the secure memory area protects attribute integrity through cryptographic hashing and verification. Only essential attributes require cryptographic verification, while other attributes are accessed through encrypted channels without requiring token signatures, reducing operational complexity while maintaining security.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an electronic transaction method using an ID token (106) assigned to a user (102), wherein the ID token has an electronic memory (118) with a protected memory area (124) in which one or more attributes are stored, wherein access to the protected memory area is only possible via a processor (128) of the ID token, and wherein the ID token has a communication interface (108) for communication with a reader of a user computer system (100), comprising the following steps: - transmission of a transaction request (158) from the user computer system to a service computer system (150) via a network (116), - transmission of a request (166) from the service computer system via the user computer system (100) to an ID provider computer system (136), wherein the transmission takes place via the network, wherein the request contains an attribute specification,which includes the attributes to be read from the ID token for the execution of the transaction, - generation of a ciphertext of the transaction data required for the execution of the transaction using a one-way function and transmission of the ciphertext to the ID provider computer system via the network, - authentication of the user against the ID token, - authentication of the ID provider computer system against the ID token via the network, - transmission of the ciphertext of the transaction data from the ID provider computer system to the user computer system and verification that the ciphertext matches the transaction data, - provided that the authentication of the user and the ID provider computer system against the ID token is successful and that the ciphertext and the transaction data match.Reading the attribute(s) according to the attribute specification by the ID provider computer system from the ID token over the network with end-to-end encryption, - Transmission of a response (174) from the ID provider computer system via the user computer system to the service computer system, wherein the transmission of the response takes place over the network, wherein the response includes the read attribute(s), and wherein the response is signed by the ID provider computer system, - Execution of the transaction using the transaction data and the attribute(s) by the service computer system.