White-Box Password Authentication Platform Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing password authentication systems are vulnerable to off-line attacks such as dictionary and brute-force attacks, even when countermeasures like salts are used, as attackers can still compromise the password database and launch effective attacks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a white-box system that uses a symmetric cipher bound to a specific platform, where the user-supplied password is encrypted using a salt value as an encoded secret key, and comparing the encrypted value with a stored authentication value to verify the password, while also encrypting other user data for enhanced security.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional password storage with salts is used, then password verification is simple and fast, but the system is vulnerable to off-line dictionary attacks and brute-force attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a white-box cryptographic implementation as an intermediary layer between the password and the verification process. This intermediary transforms the simple password comparison into a complex cryptographic operation that resists off-line attacks while maintaining controlled verification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of password verification from direct comparison to cryptographic transformation. By applying white-box cryptography with encoded secret keys and platform binding, the system transforms passwords through complex mathematical operations that prevent straightforward brute-force attacks.
2Reliability
If white-box cryptography with platform binding is implemented, then off-line attacks become more difficult, but the system complexity and computational overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cryptographic system into distinct components: platform binding mechanisms, encoded secret key management, white-box cryptographic operations, and verification logic. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple cryptographic techniques into a composite authentication system. By layering platform binding, encoded keys, and white-box cryptography, the system creates a multi-faceted security structure that addresses various attack vectors simultaneously.
3Reliability
If the white-box implementation is made platform-specific, then copying and reuse for attacks is prevented, but portability and ease of deployment are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies platform-specific characteristics locally to the cryptographic implementation. By binding the white-box cryptography to specific platform features (such as hardware identifiers or system characteristics), the system achieves local optimization for security without completely sacrificing broader adaptability through controlled configuration options.
Data Source
AI summary
A white-box system for authenticating a user-supplied password, including: a password database including a salt value and an authentication value for each user; a white-box implementation of a symmetric cipher configured to produce an encrypted value by encrypting the user-supplied password using the salt value associated with the user as an encoded secret key; and a comparator configured to compare the encrypted value with the authentication value associated with the user to verify the user-supplied password.