Visual Authentication Overlay for Phishing Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current authentication methods are impractical and costly, particularly in online environments, as they often require complex hardware and manual interactions, and fail to effectively authenticate senders, leading to vulnerabilities like phishing attacks that can result in identity theft and financial losses.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that uses a translucent identification member with obscured identifiers, which can be overlaid on a visual filtering pattern to reveal a unique identifier, providing a secure and cost-effective means of authentication by allowing users to verify the authenticity of senders and recipients through a graphical user interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional mutual authentication methods are used, then security against identity theft is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidhardware complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses visual copies of authentication information displayed on screens that users can photograph or memorize, replacing complex hardware tokens with simple visual representations that can be captured and verified through mobile devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical hardware authentication systems with optical visual displays that can be viewed and captured through camera systems, eliminating the need for specialized hardware tokens while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If hardware-based second factor authentication is deployed, then authentication security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex user interactions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication securityVSAvoiduser interaction complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows users to authenticate themselves by taking photos of visual authentication codes displayed on screens using their own mobile device cameras, eliminating the need for specialized hardware readers or complex manual entry procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces mobile device cameras as an intermediary between the visual authentication display and the verification system, allowing users to capture and submit authentication codes without requiring specialized hardware infrastructure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If manual authentication verification steps are required, then security against phishing is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to time-consuming processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephishing protectionVSAvoidauthentication speed

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-generates visual authentication codes and displays them on screens before user interaction, allowing users to simply photograph the pre-prepared code rather than manually constructing or searching for authentication information during the verification process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual authentication verification with automated optical recognition systems that use camera captures and image processing to verify authentication codes, dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual entry or verification methods

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If expensive hardware authentication systems are deployed, then security is improved, but loss of substance increases due to high deployment costs

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoiddeployment cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses disposable or easily replaceable visual authentication displays that can be rendered software-based on standard screens, eliminating the need for expensive hardware tokens that require physical distribution, inventory management, and replacement when lost or compromised

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses standard mobile device cameras and screens that users already possess, making the authentication system universally accessible without requiring specialized hardware infrastructure, thereby eliminating deployment costs for dedicated authentication devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9191215B2Method and apparatus for providing authentication using policy-controlled authentication articles and techniques

Publication Date: 2015.11.17 ENTRUST CORP

AI summary

A method and apparatus provides first or second factor authentication by providing selectability of a plurality of second factor authentication policies associated with a second factor authentication article. The first or second factor authentication article includes authentication information, such as a plurality of data elements in different cells or locations on the authentication article, which can be located by using corresponding location information. The method and apparatus provides second factor authentication based on the first or second factor authentication article by enforcing at least one of the plurality of selected authentication policies.