Multi-Device Authentication Using Session Keys and Shared Challenges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication systems rely on user-kept keys or passwords, which are susceptible to fraud and provide suboptimal user experience, necessitating a more secure and fraud-resistant method for data storage and retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a first device authenticating with multiple second devices using asymmetric key pairs and unique session identifiers, along with secret sharing and encryption, ensures secure data storage without relying on user-kept keys or passwords, and allows resilient data access even if some devices are unreachable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If user-kept keys or passwords are used for authentication, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to fraud risk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third device as an intermediary authentication service that mediates between the user and the storage system. Instead of users keeping their own keys, the third device holds the private keys and provides authenticated access, eliminating fraud risk while maintaining ease of use through centralized authentication management
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of authentication credentials distributed across multiple second devices rather than relying on a single user-held key. This distribution eliminates single-point fraud while maintaining access functionality through replicated authentication data
2Device complexity
If single-device authentication is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to single-point access and fraud vulnerability
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented across multiple independent second devices, each holding a portion of the authentication credentials. This segmentation eliminates single-point failure and fraud vulnerability while distributing the authentication burden across multiple devices
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple authentication mechanisms are merged into a unified system where the third device coordinates authentication across all second devices. This combining approach maintains security through multi-device verification while simplifying the user experience through a single authentication flow
3Reliability
If multiple second devices are involved in authentication, then reliability is improved through fraud prevention, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The third device acts as a coordinator that manages the complexity of multi-device authentication. It receives authentication requests, distributes appropriate second devices for verification, and consolidates results, thereby reducing the complexity burden on individual devices while maintaining high reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The third device serves multiple functions including key management, authentication coordination, and fraud detection across all second devices. This multi-functionality consolidates complexity into a single universal service rather than requiring each device to implement full authentication logic
Data Source
AI summary
A method carried out by a first device includes initiating an authentication session for authenticating a user of the first device with N second devices and with a third device, obtaining an asymmetric key pair comprising a public key and a private key, obtaining an identifier for the authentication session from the third device, transmitting the identifier and the public key to the second devices, receiving first data from the user and carrying out user authentication with the third device based on the first data, obtaining a respective challenge from each of the second devices, for each challenge, signing the challenge with the private key and sending the signed challenge to the respective second device the challenge was received from, receiving a message indicative of successful user authentication from each second device.