Use of Fingerprint with an On-Line or Networked Payment Authorization System

1 . A method, at one or more servers, for selectively authorizing a transaction, comprising:

receiving a request to authorize the transaction;

receiving machine fingerprint data related to the request to authorize the transaction;

saving the machine fingerprint data in a memory;

receiving associated payment information related to the request to authorize the transaction;

saving the payment information in a memory;

retrieving previously stored machine fingerprint data associated with the payment information;

comparing the received machine fingerprint data with previously stored machine fingerprint data associated with the payment information;

determining, using the machine fingerprint data, whether to authorize the transaction.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising decrypting machine fingerprint data related to the request to authorize the transaction.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein decrypting comprises using an asymmetrical public-private encryption method using a private key for encryption and a public key for decryption.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to authorize the transaction comprises authorizing the transaction if the received machine fingerprint data sufficiently matches previously stored machine fingerprint data associated with the payment information.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to authorize the transaction comprises not authorizing the transaction if the received machine fingerprint data insufficiently matches previously stored machine fingerprint data associated with the payment information.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to authorize the transaction comprises not authorizing the transaction if the received machine fingerprint data has not previously been stored.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steps are performed by one server.

8 . A method, at a client device, comprising:

generating machine fingerprint data by reading configuration data indicating non-user-configurable settings for different hardware components of the client device, and aggregating the configuration data to create a defined data series;

transmitting to a server the machine fingerprint data and a request to authorize a transaction;

receiving authorization for the transaction; and

in response to receiving the authorization, requesting to execute a specific transaction.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving selection criteria from the server, and wherein generating machine fingerprint data further comprises selecting data from the defined data series according to the selection criteria to generate the machine fingerprint data.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising encrypting the machine fingerprint data.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising storing the machine fingerprint data in a buffer of the client device before transmitting the machine fingerprint data to the server, and deleting the machine fingerprint data from the client device after transmitting the machine fingerprint data to the server.