Proxy Server Authentication Image Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face risks of unauthorized access and theft when accessing online services from untrusted computing devices, as they often need to retrieve and input sensitive authentication information, which can be compromised on public or unsecured machines.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method using a proxy server to securely access online services from untrusted devices by retrieving authentication information from a database, converting it into non-computer-readable formats like human-readable images with visual noise, and transmitting this information to the device, ensuring secure access without exposing sensitive data to untrusted machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If authentication information is retrieved from a database and transmitted to an untrusted computing device, then the user can access online services from the untrusted device, but the sensitive authentication information becomes exposed to theft and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary between the untrusted computing device and the online service. The proxy server retrieves authentication information from a secure database, converts it into a non-computer-readable format (such as an image with visual noise), and transmits it to the untrusted device. This intermediary prevents direct exposure of sensitive data while enabling service access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms authentication information from a computer-readable format (text, structured data) into a non-computer-readable format (image, visual representation with noise). This parameter change in the form and encoding of the data prevents automated reading and theft by computing devices while maintaining human readability for the user.
2Reliability
If authentication information is stored in a remote database, then password security is improved, but accessing the information from untrusted devices exposes it to theft
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy server acts as a secure intermediary that retrieves authentication information from the remote database only when needed, converts it to a non-computer-readable format, and delivers it to the untrusted device. This maintains the security benefits of remote storage while preventing theft during transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the authentication information from its original computer-readable form and transforms it into a completely different representation (image with visual noise). This extraction from the traditional data format removes the vulnerability of automated reading while preserving the functional use case.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If authentication information is converted into non-computer-readable format, then security against computing device theft is improved, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The proxy server handles the complexity of format conversion centrally, eliminating the need for complex client-side software. The conversion process (text to image with visual noise) is performed by the intermediary server, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the authentication information in the form of an image with visual noise. This copying approach simplifies the conversion process compared to cryptographic transformations, as it involves rendering text as an image rather than complex encryption/decryption mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for facilitating online authentication from untrusted computing devices may comprise receiving a request to access an online service from a computing device, retrieving authentication information for the online service from a database, accessing the online service using the authentication information for the online service, receiving data from the online service, and transmitting at least a portion of the data received from the online service to the computing device. The method may also comprise converting the authentication information for the online service into non-computer-readable authentication information, such as a human-readable image, and transmitting the non-computer-readable authentication information to the computing device. Corresponding systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.