User authentication based on voucher codes

1. A user authentication method comprising the steps of:

authenticating a first user;

generating a voucher code that is provided to the authenticated first user for delivery to a second user different than the first user;

receiving the voucher code from the second user; and

authenticating the second user based on the voucher code;

wherein the steps of authenticating the first user, generating the voucher code, receiving the voucher code, and authenticating the second user are performed by a processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of providing the authenticated second user with a temporary code based on the voucher code and utilizable for at least one additional authentication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first user provides the voucher code to the second user responsive to a request by the second user for the first user to vouch for the second user to thereby allow the second user to be authenticated.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first user is equipped with an authentication token and the step of authenticating the first user comprises authenticating the first user utilizing a tokencode from the authentication token and a personal identification number as submitted by the first user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user is equipped with an authentication token that is not currently available for use in authentication.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of authenticating the second user further comprises authenticating the second user utilizing the voucher code and a personal identification number as submitted by the second user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user is equipped with an authentication token that is currently available for use in authentication and the step of authenticating the second user comprises authenticating the second user utilizing the voucher code and a tokencode from the authentication token.

8. The method of claim 1 further including the step of requiring establishment of a helper-asker relationship between the first and second users prior to permitting the second user to be authenticated based on the voucher code.

9. The method of claim 8 further including the step of providing the first user with an opportunity to accept or deny the helper-asker relationship prior to storing information indicative of establishment of the helper-asker relationship.

10. The method of claim 8 further including the step of at least partially automating establishment of the helper-asker relationship utilizing existing relationship information available from a database.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of authenticating the second user based on the voucher code further comprises the step of confirming that the voucher code is received within a limited time period designated for a corresponding vouching session initiated by the first user.

12. The method of claim 2 wherein the temporary code is valid for multiple subsequent authentications of the second user after expiration of the voucher code.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying the first user of success or failure of authentication of the second user based on the voucher code.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

authenticating at least one additional user; and

generating at least one additional voucher code that is provided to the authenticated at least one additional user;

wherein the step of receiving the voucher code from the second user further comprises receiving multiple voucher codes from the second user; and

wherein the step of authenticating the second user based on the voucher code further comprises authenticating the second user based on the multiple voucher codes.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having embodied therein one or more software programs, wherein the one or more software programs when executed by a processor implement the steps of the method of claim 1 .

16. An authentication server comprising:

at least one processing device, said at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory;

wherein the authentication server is configured to authenticate a first user, to generate a voucher code that is provided to the authenticated first user for delivery to a second user different than the first user, to receive the voucher code from the second user, and to authenticate the second user based on the voucher code.

17. The authentication server of claim 16 wherein said server is configured to provide the authenticated second user with a temporary code based on the voucher code and utilizable for at least one additional authentication.

18. The authentication server of claim 16 wherein the server is configured to authenticate the second user utilizing the voucher code and a personal identification number as submitted by the second user.

19. The authentication server of claim 16 wherein the server is configured to require establishment of a helper-asker relationship between the first and second users prior to permitting the second user to be authenticated based on the voucher code, and further wherein the server is configured to provide the first user with an opportunity to accept or deny the helper-asker relationship prior to storing information indicative of establishment of the helper-asker relationship.

20. An authentication system comprising:

a first processing device associated with a first user;

a second processing device associated with a second user different than the first user; and

an authentication server configured for communication with the first and second processing devices over a network;

wherein the authentication server communicates with the first and second processing devices to authenticate the first user, to generate a voucher code that is provided to the authenticated first user for delivery to the second user, to receive the voucher code from the second user, and to authenticate the second user based on the voucher code.