Risk-Based Authentication via Login Environment Similarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Risk-based authentication systems face challenges in maintaining server infrastructure for supplemental authentication and privacy concerns when relying on access history, making it burdensome for website providers and raising personal information protection issues.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-type risk-based authentication method that uses an evaluation device to calculate the risk of unauthorized access by comparing the similarity of login environments between terminal units, performing additional authentication when necessary, and storing successful login data securely to minimize personal information exposure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If risk-based authentication is performed based on access history, then unauthorized access can be detected, but a server for access history management is needed which increases system complexity and maintenance burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an evaluation device as an intermediary between the terminal unit and authentication device. This evaluation device performs risk evaluation by comparing login environment data and generating risk scores, thereby distributing the authentication functionality and reducing the maintenance burden on the authentication device while maintaining reliable unauthorized access detection.
2Reliability
If access history is used for risk evaluation, then risk-based authentication can be performed, but personal information protection issues arise as access history contains sensitive user data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary login environment characteristics (browser type, OS, screen resolution, etc.) from the complete access history data, excluding sensitive personal information. The evaluation device uses these extracted features for risk evaluation without storing or processing identifiable user data, thereby maintaining evaluation accuracy while protecting personal information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses temporary, disposable login environment data that is generated for each authentication attempt and discarded after evaluation. This approach allows continuous risk evaluation without accumulating long-term personal information storage, reducing privacy risks while maintaining reliable risk assessment.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional authentication is used, then implementation is simple, but it is vulnerable to stolen credentials and spoofing attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary risk evaluation by comparing the current login environment with historical login patterns before completing the authentication process. This preliminary action identifies suspicious login attempts early, allowing the system to maintain simple implementation for legitimate users while enhancing security by triggering additional verification only when risk is detected.
Data Source
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AI summary
In an evaluation device 1, a receiver part 120a receives, from an authentication device 2 that performs a user login authentication, a hash value of a user identifier for identifying a user, which is generated in a terminal unit 3 used for the login by the user, and information indicating a login environment of the terminal unit 3, which is encrypted in the terminal unit 3. A decoding part 121 decodes the encrypted information indicating the login environment of the terminal unit 3. A risk calculation part 122 calculates an evaluation value that indicates a risk of the login being an unauthorized access based on a statistic related to a degree of similarity between the login environment of the terminal unit 3 and a previous login environment by the user corresponding to the hash value. A transmitter part 120b transmits, to the authentication device 2, a comparison result between the calculated evaluation value and a predetermined threshold.