Proximity-Based Authentication via Short-Range Wireless Link
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current two-factor authentication methods, particularly those relying on mobile push notifications, are vulnerable to phishing attacks and require manual entry of codes, which can lead to user error and frustration.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a proximity-based authentication system using short-distance wireless communication, such as Bluetooth or NFC, to securely transmit and verify encrypted codes between devices, eliminating the need for manual code entry and enhancing security against phishing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual code entry is required for two-factor authentication, then security verification is performed, but user error and frustration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic code verification where the mobile device autonomously provides the verification code to the computing device without requiring manual user input. The code is transmitted through the push notification infrastructure, allowing the system to self-verify authentication while eliminating user errors associated with manual entry.
2Productivity
If push notifications are used for two-factor authentication, then authentication speed is improved, but vulnerability to phishing attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary verification mechanism where a unique code is generated and transmitted through the push notification channel. This code acts as a mediator that must be present in both the notification and the authentication request, creating an additional verification layer that phishing attacks cannot easily bypass while maintaining fast authentication.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If code matching is added to push notifications, then phishing resistance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the push notification delivery mechanism with the code transmission function. The verification code is embedded within the existing push notification infrastructure rather than being a separate system, combining two functions into one and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining phishing resistance through code matching.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may receive, from a computing device, a request for a two-factor authentication of a user. A device may transmit, from a server to the computing device and based on the request, multi-factor authentication data to the computing device. A device may establish a short-distance wireless communication link between the computing device and a registered mobile device. A device may transmit, from the computing device and via the short-distance wireless communication link, encrypted data which is encrypted based on the multi-factor authentication data, to the registered mobile device. A device may receive, at the server and from the registered mobile device, a confirmation that corrected data was decrypted from the encrypted data. A device may provide, based on the confirmation, the user with access to a service via the computing device.