Position-Based Credentials for Tiered Device Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user authentication methods, such as password managers and single sign-on, are vulnerable to security breaches and require centralized authorization, making them tedious and unreliable for secure access to computer networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing tiered authentication using position-based credentials that leverage unique identities of user interface devices and their relative locations to authenticate users, requiring different credentials based on the distance between devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional password authentication is used, then security is maintained through credential verification, but user convenience deteriorates due to frequent manual credential entry
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing device identities and location relationships before authentication is needed. When a user logs in from a new device, the system proactively determines the location of both devices and calculates distances beforehand, then uses this pre-computed information to automatically authenticate without requiring manual credential entry, thus saving time and improving convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system serves itself by using device identities and location data to automatically determine authentication requirements. The system self-evaluates whether devices are close enough to trust each other and automatically grants or denies access without human intervention, eliminating the need for users to manually enter credentials and improving operational ease
2Ease of operation
If password managers are used to store credentials, then authentication convenience is improved, but security deteriorates due to vulnerabilities from master password cracking and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the security vulnerability by removing the centralized credential storage model. Instead of storing all credentials in one password manager that can be compromised by a single master password crack, the system distributes authentication across multiple independent devices with unique identities. Each device's credentials are tied to its specific location and identity, so compromising one device does not expose other credentials, thus improving security while maintaining convenience
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system segments credentials and trust relationships across multiple devices rather than centralizing them. Each device has its own identity and location-based credentials, creating segmented security zones. This segmentation ensures that a breach of one device's credentials cannot compromise the entire system, as each segment operates independently with its own security boundaries
3Ease of operation
If single sign-on is implemented, then authentication convenience is improved, but security deteriorates due to centralized authorization server vulnerabilities and loss of institutional control
Solution Approach 1:
The invention inverts the traditional centralized authorization model. Instead of a central server granting trust to users, the system allows devices to grant trust to each other based on their own identities and location data. This inversion shifts control from a vulnerable centralized server to distributed devices, improving security while maintaining single sign-on convenience through device-to-device authentication
4Reliability
If device identities and locations are used for authentication, then security is improved through proximity verification, but device complexity increases due to location tracking and distance calculation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies universality by using location data and distance calculation capabilities that are already built into modern smartphones and devices. Rather than adding specialized hardware or complex authentication infrastructure, the invention leverages existing universal functions (GPS, Wi-Fi positioning, network location services) to provide enhanced security, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing device complexity
Data Source
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Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing tiered authentication using position-based credentials. A system for authenticating a user with position-based credentials may include one or more memories storing instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations. The operations may include receiving a login request associated with the user from a first user interface device; receiving a first location associated with the first user interface device; receiving a second location associated with a second user interface device; when a Lebesgue distance between the first location and the second location is below a first threshold, authenticating the user; when the Lebesgue distance is above the first threshold and below a second, larger threshold, prompting the first interface device for a first credential; and when the Lebesgue distance is above the second threshold, prompting the first interface device for a second credential.