Web Authentication Bridge for Native Mobile Apps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current web authentication protocols, such as FIDO2, do not effectively support native mobile applications, as they rely on web views that do not support web authentication specifications, especially when using a platform authenticator.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for performing web authentication in native applications by generating safety parameters, delivering them to a user agent, performing authentication with safety controls, and validating the results with a relying party, allowing native applications to utilize both platform and roaming authenticators without requiring additional server-side storage or SDKs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If web authentication protocols (FIDO2) are used in native mobile applications, then authentication security is improved, but compatibility with platform authenticators deteriorates because web views do not support web authentication specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bridge component that mediates between the native application and the platform authenticator. This bridge translates web authentication protocol messages into platform-specific authentication commands, enabling FIDO2 compatibility without requiring web view support. The intermediary layer allows the native app to communicate with platform authenticators through the operating system's authentication framework, resolving the compatibility issue while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the authentication protocol parameters by implementing a custom authentication flow that adapts FIDO2 specifications to work within native application constraints. Instead of relying on web view implementation, the system changes the communication parameters to use native operating system APIs and message passing mechanisms, allowing platform authenticators to be utilized effectively in native apps.
2Adaptability or versatility
If roaming authenticators are used to enable web authentication in native applications, then authentication functionality is improved, but cost increases due to additional server-side storage and SDK requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the native application to perform authentication operations independently using the device's built-in platform authenticator. The operating system provides native authentication APIs that allow the app to generate, store, and verify credentials without requiring external roaming authenticator services. This self-service approach eliminates the need for additional server-side storage infrastructure and reduces dependency on third-party SDKs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the authentication functionality from external roaming authenticator services and relocates it to the native platform authenticator. By removing the dependency on roaming authenticators and their associated server infrastructure, the system achieves authentication functionality using only the device's built-in capabilities, thereby reducing complexity and eliminating the need for additional SDKs and server-side storage.
3Ease of manufacture
If web views are used for authentication in native applications, then implementation ease is improved, but authentication reliability deteriorates because web views do not support web authentication specifications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the web view-based authentication mechanism with a native application authentication mechanism. Instead of using a web view to render and handle authentication UI, the system substitutes this with native UI components and direct integration with platform authentication APIs. This substitution maintains implementation ease through familiar native development patterns while achieving reliable authentication by directly utilizing operating system-supported authentication frameworks.
Data Source
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AI summary
A web authentication system (100) includes a native application (130) to generate at least one safety parameter, a user agent (140) instructed to perform web authentication with safety controls, and a relying party (150) to generate an authentication result. The native application (130) is to deliver the at least one safety parameter to the user agent (140), obtain the authentication result from the relying party (150) via the user agent (140), and validate the authentication result with the relying party (150).