Two-Factor Authentication via Decrypted Key Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication methods are vulnerable to single-factor attacks, and multi-factor authentication systems require complex coordination between multiple users and devices, which can be cumbersome and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
A system that employs two-person authentication by providing an encrypted data item and corresponding encryption key to each user, allowing them to verify each other's presence through decryption, ensuring access is granted only when both users are present and correctly authenticated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If single-factor authentication is used, then the authentication process is simple and fast, but the system becomes vulnerable to theft and unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into two separate factors: a physical device (mobile phone) and a cryptographic credential (signed data). This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity while improving security, as each factor independently contributes to the authentication process without requiring complex multi-user coordination
Solution Approach 2:
A server acts as an intermediary that distributes cryptographic credentials to multiple devices and verifies authentication by checking signatures. This intermediary simplifies the authentication process by handling the complex verification logic centrally, while still providing robust multi-factor security
2Reliability
If multi-factor authentication with multiple users is used, then security is improved, but the coordination between users and devices becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments authentication into independent device-based and credential-based factors, allowing each user to authenticate independently with their own device and credentials without requiring complex coordination with other users
Solution Approach 2:
Each user's device independently performs authentication operations by signing data with stored credentials and verifying signatures locally. This self-service approach eliminates the need for complex inter-user coordination, as each user's authentication is self-contained and independent
Data Source
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AI summary
According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus comprising at least one processing core, at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured to, with the at least one processing core, cause the apparatus at least to receive from a first device a digital key, receive from a second device an encrypted data item, decrypt the encrypted data item using the digital key to obtain a decrypted data item, and verify the decrypted data item matches a reference data item, and responsive to the decrypted data item matching the reference data item, grant access to at least one of the first device and the second device.