Visual Location Authentication for Trojan-Resistant Identity Verification
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user authentication methods, such as password-based systems, are vulnerable to attacks like Trojan horses that steal passwords, necessitating a more secure approach.
Innovation Solution
Implementing user authentication based on visual representations of locations, where a user's location is determined and verified through visual representations, such as photos, videos, or infrared images, stored in a database, to authenticate the user's identity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If password-based authentication is used, then the authentication process is simple and easy to operate, but the system becomes vulnerable to Trojan attacks and password theft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical keyboard input system with an optical/image-based authentication system. Instead of typing passwords that can be captured by keyloggers, the system captures and verifies images of the user's surroundings or device environment, substituting a vulnerable input method with a more secure visual verification process that cannot be easily intercepted or replicated
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification process between the user and the authentication system. Rather than directly verifying password input, the system uses image capture and analysis as an intermediate step to verify the user's physical presence and environment, adding a layer of security that prevents direct password theft while maintaining user convenience
2Reliability
If visual representation-based authentication is implemented, then security against password theft is improved, but the authentication process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the authentication system multi-functional by combining several verification capabilities into a single image capture process. The same camera and image processing system is used for both capturing the visual representation and analyzing security-relevant features, eliminating the need for separate hardware components and reducing overall system complexity despite enhanced security functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses simple image copying and comparison techniques rather than complex cryptographic protocols. The authentication process captures an image of the user's environment, stores it as a reference, and compares future images against this reference using straightforward image matching algorithms, providing strong security through simplicity rather than complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The present teaching relates to user authentication based on a visual representation of a location. In one example, a request is received for authenticating a user with respect to a user identity. A location of the user is determined. A candidate visual representation of the location is obtained from the user. One or more visual representations are retrieved from a database. The retrieved one or more visual representations are associated with the user identity in the database. Whether the user is authenticated is determined based on the candidate visual representation and the retrieved one or more visual representations.