Method and apparatus for providing mutual authentication between a sending unit and a recipient

1. A method for providing mutual authentication between a user and a sender comprising:

(a) determining, for a user that has been assigned an article, desired sender authentication information that corresponds to sender authentication information that is embodied on the article, and wherein the sender identification information can be located on the article by using location information that is also embodied on the article;

(b) determining for the same user, corresponding article identification information;

(c) sending a challenge for the user that includes at least location information that identifies the desired sender authentication information and sending the article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user wherein a copy of the article identification information is located on the article and is distinct from the sender authentication information on the article; and

(d) authenticating the user based on a reply to the challenge that includes sender authentication information obtained from the article, based on the location information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein prior to sending the challenge, the method includes:

receiving user authentication information from the user; and

authenticating the user based on the received user authentication information and if the user authentication is successful, then performing steps (a) and (b) based on the user authentication information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the article identification information includes at least one of: a shared secret known to the user and to the sender and an article serial number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the article identification information in the challenge comprises unencrypted article identification information.

5. A method for providing mutual authentication between a user and a sender comprising:

prompting for first level authentication information from a user;

receiving first level user authentication information from the user;

verifying the received first level user authentication information;

based on the received first level user authentication information, determining, for a user that has been assigned an article, desired sender authentication information that corresponds to sender authentication information that is embodied on the article that has been assigned to the user, and wherein the sender authentication information can be located on the article by using location information;

sending an electronic challenge for the user that includes at least: location information that designates sender authentication information located on the article and article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user wherein a copy of the article identification information is on the article and is distinct from the sender authentication information on the article;

verifying received sender authentication information obtained from the article, based on the location information, with expected sender authentication information; and

if the sender authentication information is not successfully verified, then continue to send the same electronic challenge with the same designated second level user authentication information located on the article and article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user for a next user session until the same electronic challenge is successfully verified.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the article identification information includes at least one of: a shared secret known to the user and to the sender and an article serial number.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first level user authentication information includes user password information and user identification information.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the location information and the article identification information includes electronically transmitted data for display on a display device.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the article issued to the user contains sender authentication information that is arranged in rows and columns.

10. A device for providing mutual authentication with a user comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

memory containing executable instructions that cause the one or more processing devices to:

(a) determine, for a user that has been assigned an article, desired sender authentication information that corresponds to sender authentication information that is embodied on the article, and wherein the sender identification information can be located on the article by using location information embodied on the article;

(b) determine for the same user, corresponding article identification information wherein a copy of the article identification information is on the article and is distinct from the sender authentication information on the article;

(c) send a challenge for the user that includes at least location information that identifies the desired sender authentication information for authenticating the sender to the user and sending the article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user; and

(d) authenticate the user based on a reply to the challenge that includes user authentication information obtained from the article, based on the location information.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the article identification information includes at least one of: a shared secret known to the user and to the device and an article serial number.

12. A device for providing mutual authentication with a user comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

memory containing executable instructions that cause the one or more processing devices to:

send a prompt request for first level authentication information from the user;

verify received first level user authentication information that was received in response to the prompt request;

based on the received first level user authentication information, determine, for the user that has been assigned an article, desired sender authentication information that corresponds to sender authentication information that is embodied on the article that has been assigned to the user, and wherein the sender authentication information can be located on the article by using location information also embodied on the article;

send an electronic challenge for the user that includes at least: location information that designates sender authentication information located on the article and article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user wherein a copy of the article identification information is on the article and is distinct from the sender authentication information on the article;

verify received sender authentication information obtained from the article, based on the location information, with expected sender authentication information; and

if the sender authentication information is not successfully verified, then continue to send the same electronic challenge with the same sender authentication information located on the article and article identification information for authenticating the sender to the user for a next user session until the same electronic challenge is successfully verified.