Multi-server OTP Verification with Auxiliary Channel Embedding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing multi-server OTP verification protocols are not compatible with auxiliary channels, which are essential for enhancing security and usability in high-traffic authentication settings, and previous lightweight solutions lack compatibility with auxiliary channels.

Innovation Solution

A vertical-split server verification protocol is introduced, where each server verifies different portions of the passcode, and auxiliary information is embedded using a codebook, allowing for efficient processing and verification of OTPs with embedded auxiliary information, ensuring compatibility with auxiliary channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing multi-server OTP verification protocols are used, then server-side security is improved through distributed verification, but compatibility with auxiliary channels deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver-side securityVSAvoidauxiliary channel compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The verification protocol is segmented into distinct phases: passcode generation phase, auxiliary information embedding phase, and verification phase. The auxiliary information is segmented and embedded within the passcode structure using codebooks, allowing the verification system to process both the authentication credentials and auxiliary data separately yet integrally, thus maintaining security while enabling auxiliary channel compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Codebooks serve as an intermediary mechanism between the passcode generation process and the verification process. The codebooks enable the embedding of auxiliary information within the passcode structure without compromising the underlying cryptographic verification mechanisms, thus mediating between security requirements and auxiliary channel needs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If auxiliary information is embedded in passcodes using codebooks, then auxiliary channel compatibility is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauxiliary channel compatibilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Codebooks are pre-generated and stored at both the token and server sides before the authentication process. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex real-time computation of codebooks during verification, reducing processing complexity while maintaining the ability to embed and verify auxiliary information effectively

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The codebook structure is replicated at both the token and server ends, creating identical reference frameworks for embedding and verifying auxiliary information. This copying approach simplifies processing by ensuring both parties use the same predefined structures rather than requiring complex real-time negotiations or computations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of energy

If vertical-split server verification is implemented, then communication costs are reduced through efficient passcode partitioning, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication costsVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The passcode verification process is segmented into vertical portions, with different servers responsible for verifying different segments. This segmentation reduces the amount of data each server must process and communicate, lowering communication costs while the modular structure manages system complexity through clear division of responsibilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If multiple protocodes are generated and processed, then security against server compromise is improved, but computational overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity against server compromiseVSAvoidcomputational overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring all servers to verify all protocodes, the system implements partial verification where each server verifies only its designated portion. This partial action approach maintains security through distributed verification while significantly reducing the computational overhead for each individual server and the system as a whole

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS9407631B1Multi-server passcode verification for one-time authentication tokens with auxiliary channel compatibility

Publication Date: 2016.08.02 RSA SECURITY USA LLC

AI summary

Multi-server passcode verification is provided for one-time authentication tokens with auxiliary channel compatibility. An exemplary method comprises receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with a user; and processing the received authentication passcode using at least a first authentication server and a second authentication server, wherein the received authentication passcode is based on at least one protocode and embedded auxiliary information and wherein at least one of the first authentication server, the second authentication server and a relying party extract the embedded auxiliary information from the received authentication passcode. The disclosed method can extend an existing multi-server verification process to provide the processing of the received authentication passcode based on the embedded auxiliary information.