Secure authentication systems and methods
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided for authentication by combining a Reverse Turing Test (RTT) with password-based user authentication protocols to provide improved resistance to brute force attacks. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for user authentication, the method including receiving a username/password pair associated with a user; requesting one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT); and granting access to the user if a valid response to the first RTT is received and the username/password pair is valid.
1. A method for user authentication, the method comprising:
receiving a username/password pair associated with a user;
determining whether the username/password pair is valid;
requesting one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT), regardless of whether the username/password pair is valid; and
selectively granting the user access to a resource only if the username/password pair is valid, and the one or more responses to the first RTT is valid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first RTT is a deterministic function of the username/password pair.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first RTT is a non-deterministic or random function that depends on the username/password pair with a predetermined probability.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first RTT is independent of the username/password pair.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first RTT is of a first type, and wherein the first type is selected from one or more types of RTTs.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein for each type of RTT, a time between (a) performing the step of receiving a username/password pair and (b) performing the step of requesting one or more responses to a first RTT is the same.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the user with a cookie, wherein the cookie indicates the user provided a valid response to the first RTT.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises at least one of: an account associated with the user; an electronic content item; an Internet web site; or an online service.
9. A method for user authentication, the method comprising:
sending to a user a request for a username/password pair;
receiving a username/password pair from the user;
determining whether the username/password pair is valid;
receiving one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT), regardless of whether the username/password pair is valid; and
selectively granting the user access to a resource only if the username/password pair is valid, and the one or more responses to the first RTT is valid.
10. A method as in claim 9 , further comprising:
providing the user with a cookie, wherein the cookie indicates the user was authenticated.
11. A method as in claim 10 , further comprising:
checking for the cookie stored on a computer associated with the user, prior to performing said sending step.
12. A computer-readable medium, the computer-readable medium storing programming instructions which, if executed by a computer system, are operable to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising:
determining whether a received username/password pair is valid;
requesting one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT) regardless of whether the received username/password pair is valid; and
selectively granting a user access to electronic goods and/or services if a valid response to the first RTT is received and the username/password pair is valid.
13. A computer-readable medium as in claim 12 , wherein the first RTT is a deterministic function of the username/password pair.
14. A computer-readable medium as in claim 12 , wherein the first RTT is a non-deterministic or random function that depends on the username/password pair.
15. A computer-readable medium as in claim 12 , wherein the first RTT is independent of the username/password pair.