Identity Verification via Asymmetric Key Fragmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current identity verification methods for online services rely on insecure methods such as passwords and personal information, leading to increased risks of identity theft and high costs for security measures.
Innovation Solution
A system using asymmetric key pairs, where a private key is fragmented into three fragments, and an encrypted challenge is transmitted and decrypted using these fragments for verification, ensuring secure identity verification without exposing the entire private key.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional password and personal information methods are used for identity verification, then the verification process is simple and cost-effective, but security is compromised leading to identity theft risks
Solution Approach 1:
The private key is divided into multiple fragments (first private key fragment and second private key fragment) that are distributed to different entities. The server holds one fragment while the client holds another, so that neither party possesses the complete private key. This segmentation prevents any single entity from having full control over the cryptographic key, thereby enhancing security while maintaining a manageable verification process.
2Reliability
If complete private key is stored securely, then identity verification is reliable, but security costs increase and the key becomes a target for hackers
Solution Approach 1:
The private key is split into multiple fragments distributed across different locations and entities. The server stores one fragment while the client device stores another fragment. This ensures that even if one storage location is compromised, the complete private key cannot be reconstructed without all fragments, thereby reducing the impact of potential security breaches and identity theft risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The verification process uses an encrypted challenge as an intermediary mechanism. The server generates a challenge that is encrypted and sent to the client. The client decrypts it using their private key fragment and returns the decrypted challenge. This intermediary process allows verification without directly exposing or transmitting the complete private key, reducing the attack surface for hackers.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If private key is fragmented and distributed, then security against identity theft is improved, but the verification process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The private key is divided into fragments that are distributed to the server and client device. Each fragment is used for its intended purpose: the server's fragment is used to verify challenges, while the client's fragment is used to decrypt challenges and generate responses. This segmentation provides security against identity theft while keeping the verification process relatively simple through automated cryptographic operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The client device automatically performs decryption of challenges using its private key fragment and generates the appropriate verification responses. The server automatically verifies these responses using its fragment. This self-service automation reduces the manual complexity of key management while maintaining strong security through the fragmented key approach.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for identify confirmation and transaction security are described. The system generates a challenge. The system transmits to a client computing system an encrypted challenge generated using the challenge and a public key of an asymmetric key pair to a client computing system. The system fragments a private key of the asymmetric key pair into a first, second and third private key fragments. The system generates a first partially decrypted challenge using the first private key fragment and the encrypted challenge. The system receives a second and a third partially decrypted challenges from the client computing system. The system generates a decrypted challenge using the first, second and third partially decrypted challenges. The system compares the decrypted challenge and the challenge for identity verification.