Smart Key Device Unifying FIDO2 and U2F Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
FIDO2 and U2F authentication protocols face inconvenience due to separate registration and authentication processes, leading to incompatible communication between the two, which affects user experience and compatibility.
Innovation Solution
A key device method that parses and processes both FIDO2 and U2F authentication instructions, decrypts credentials and handles using corresponding keys, and generates authentication responses based on preset conditions, enabling registration and authentication compatibility between the two protocols.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the key device supports both FIDO2 and U2F protocols separately, then both protocols can function independently, but the registration and authentication processes are separate and incompatible, causing inconvenience to users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate FIDO2 and U2F authentication flows into a unified process. The key device now accepts a single authentication instruction that can handle both protocol types, combining previously separate registration and authentication operations into one integrated workflow that maintains both protocol functionalities
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication instruction structure is designed to be universal, capable of carrying both FIDO2-specific parameters (like credential public key information) and U2F-specific parameters (like key handle information) within the same message format, allowing the key device to function with both protocols through a single interface
2Reliability
If the key device implements separate authentication flows for FIDO2 and U2F, then each protocol can be processed according to its specific requirements, but communication compatibility between the two protocols cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary authentication instruction format that acts as a mediator between FIDO2 and U2F protocols. This instruction structure contains protocol identification fields and parameter containers that allow the key device to route and process the same incoming message according to the specific protocol requirements, enabling cross-protocol compatibility while maintaining protocol-specific processing integrity
3Ease of operation
If the key device uses different authentication instructions for FIDO2 and U2F, then each protocol can be processed independently, but the device complexity increases due to separate processing logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the authentication instruction structure adaptive to different protocols. The same instruction format contains conditional fields and parameters that are only processed when relevant to the specific protocol type. The key device parses the instruction once and then applies protocol-specific processing only to the relevant portions, reducing overall complexity compared to maintaining completely separate processing paths
Data Source
AI summary
A working method for a key device and a key device, including: a smart key apparatus receives an authentication instruction, determines a type of the authentication instruction, parses a FIDO2 authentication instruction to obtain a credential if the instruction is the FIDO2 authentication instruction, checks whether the credential is complete by using a changing key corresponding to the FIDO2, if a check is successful, the credential is registered in a FIDO2 mode, and the authentication response is generated and returned to the client; and if the check fails, whether the credential is complete is checked by using the changing key corresponding to a U2F, and the credential is registered in a U2F mode if a check is successful, the authentication response is generated and returned to the client, and an error response is returned to the client if the check fails.