Zero Knowledge Proof Device Co-location Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining user device location in computer networks are either inaccurate, such as IP-based geolocation, or invasive, like GPS-based geolocation, and are vulnerable to Push Fraud attacks, necessitating a system that accurately determines device location while preserving privacy and preventing fraudulent activities.
Innovation Solution
An authentication system that uses zero-knowledge proof techniques by analyzing local area network connections to determine if a user device is at the same physical location as during previous access attempts, employing Bloom filters to hash and encrypt connection data for secure and accurate location verification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If IP-based geolocation is used to determine device location, then the system is simple to implement, but the location accuracy deteriorates significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the location verification process into multiple independent components: collecting LAN connection data (Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, IP addresses), hashing each data element independently, storing hashed values in databases, and comparing hashed sets to determine location matches. This segmentation allows the system to achieve GPS-level accuracy without requiring GPS hardware, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If GPS-based geolocation is used to determine device location, then the location accuracy is improved, but user privacy is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary location-indicating features (LAN connection data) from the device environment, excluding sensitive personal information such as GPS coordinates, device identifiers, and user profile data. By taking out only the essential location markers and processing them through hashing, the system achieves accurate location determination while extracting and eliminating privacy-sensitive information from the authentication flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces hashing algorithms as an intermediary layer between the raw location data and the authentication system. The hashing function transforms sensitive LAN connection data into fixed-length hash values that preserve location information while eliminating the ability to reverse-engineer the original data. This intermediary mechanism allows the system to maintain location accuracy for authentication purposes while preventing privacy loss, as the hashed values cannot be used to reconstruct the user's actual location or device identity.
3Ease of operation
If traditional authentication methods are used, then the system is easy to operate, but vulnerability to Push Fraud attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary location verification by comparing the current device's hashed LAN connection data against stored hashed location profiles before initiating the authentication process. This preliminary action identifies and blocks fraudulent authentication attempts from devices that do not match the expected location profile, preventing Push Fraud attacks before they can occur. The system establishes location-based trust boundaries in advance, so when authentication requests are received, the system can quickly verify whether they originate from authorized locations without requiring complex real-time analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure describes techniques and mechanisms for authenticating user device(s) by ensuring that two user devices accessing the same online service are co-located, while protecting private information associated with a user's network landscape and/or Bluetooth device(s). The techniques may ensure that a second factor authentication device is in the same location as a first factor access device, and that a first factor access device is in the same location as it was during previous access attempts).