Session-Based Secret Identifier Verification Against Phishing Attacks

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing security systems for online services are vulnerable to attacks such as key loggers, screen scraping, and man-in-the-middle attacks, and two-factor authentication methods suffer from anonymity and access code intrusion issues, with password managers being susceptible to malware and costly in terms of time and resources.

Innovation Solution

A method involving an interface system and an identifier manager that provides a secret identifier, encoded and stored securely, using a device-specific key for decryption, and a virtual machine for user input, ensuring the identifier manager does not retain the secret and is unaware of the destination, enhancing security and reducing resource costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional password-based authentication is used, then users can access online services, but the system becomes vulnerable to key loggers, screen scraping, and man-in-the-middle attacks

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoidvulnerability to attacks

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that acts as a mediator between the user and the online service. Instead of directly transmitting passwords, the system uses a trusted intermediary to verify credentials, thereby protecting against key loggers, screen scraping, and man-in-the-middle attacks while maintaining reliable authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a secure copy of the authentication credentials that is transmitted through an encrypted channel rather than the original plaintext password. This copying mechanism allows the authentication to proceed while the original password remains protected from interception by malicious software or attackers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Ease of operation

If password managers are used to store login credentials, then users can automatically enter credentials without remembering them, but the system becomes susceptible to malware interception and requires significant time and resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic credential entryVSAvoidmalware susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that acts as a mediator between the user and the online service. Instead of directly transmitting passwords, the system uses a trusted intermediary to verify credentials, thereby protecting against key loggers, screen scraping, and man-in-the-middle attacks while maintaining reliable authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a secure copy of the authentication credentials that is transmitted through an encrypted channel rather than the original plaintext password. This copying mechanism allows the authentication to proceed while the original password remains protected from interception by malicious software or attackers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If two-factor authentication systems are implemented, then security is enhanced, but the systems suffer from anonymity problems and access code intrusion vulnerabilities

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurity enhancementVSAvoidaccess code intrusion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that acts as a mediator between the user and the online service. Instead of directly transmitting passwords, the system uses a trusted intermediary to verify credentials, thereby protecting against key loggers, screen scraping, and man-in-the-middle attacks while maintaining reliable authentication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a secure copy of the authentication credentials that is transmitted through an encrypted channel rather than the original plaintext password. This copying mechanism allows the authentication to proceed while the original password remains protected from interception by malicious software or attackers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS12526272B2Method and system for verification of identify of a user

Publication Date: 2026.01.13 BANKVAULT PTY LTD

AI summary

A computer implemented method of providing identification to one of many online services, and a system comprises an interface system and an identifier manager. The interface system is configured to provide a secret identifier to a requesting one of the online services in a session. The secret identifier is received from the identifier manager. The secret identifier is stored in the identifier manager. The session in which the secret identifier is provided to the online service is identified by a session identifier provided from the online service to a device which the online service is to be provided. The session identifier is then provided to the identifier manager. The session identifier is then provided to the interface system. The session identifier is then provided to the online service so that interactions are allocated to the session.