User Authentication Device and Method
An authentication device ( 100 ) for use with electronic security devices and user authentication systems is disclosed. The authentication device includes a data store ( 104 ) for storing plural secret keys, each secret key associated with a corresponding service, a service selection means ( 101 ) for selecting a service from the corresponding services, an authentication code generator ( 102 ) for generating, from the secret key associated with the selected service, a one time usable authentication code for communication to an authentication controller associated with the selected service, and an output ( 106 ) for outputting the generated authentication code for communication to the authentication controller. A method of authentication a user to a service is also disclosed.
1 . An authentication device, including:
a data store for storing plural secret keys, each of said secret keys associated with one of a plurality of corresponding services;
a service selection means for selecting a service from the corresponding services;
an authentication code generator for generating, from the secret key associated with the selected service, a one time usable authentication code for communication to an authentication controller associated with the selected service; and
an output interface for outputting the generated authentication code for communication to the authentication controller.
2 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the stored secret keys is associated with a federated service.
3 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the secret keys is associated with an independent service.
4 . An authentication device according to claim I wherein the corresponding services include federated and independent services.
5 . An authentication device according to claims 1 wherein the corresponding services include services of different risk categories.
6 . An authentication device according to claim 1 further including plural counters for maintaining a count value for ones of the plurality of corresponding services, the count value indicating the number of said one time usable authentication codes generated by the authentication device.
7 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein the output interface includes a communications interface for outputting the generated authentication code for electronic communication to the authentication controller.
8 . An authentication device according to claim 7 wherein the communications interface includes a wired or wireless communications interface.
9 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein the authentication device includes a smart-card arrangement.
10 . An authentication device according to claim 9 wherein the smart-card arrangement includes an arrangement of user controls providing the service selection means.
11 . An authentication device according to claim 10 wherein the user controls include a respective control for each of the corresponding services operable by a user to select the service from the corresponding services.
12 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein the authentication device includes a mobile communications device equipped with a set of computer program instructions.
13 . An authentication device according to claim 1 wherein the authentication code generator includes a processing unit and a software implemented algorithm implemented by the processing unit.
14 . An authentication device according to claim 13 wherein the software implemented algorithm provides a different cryptographic function for each service of the corresponding services.
15 . An authentication device according to claim 14 wherein the software implemented algorithm selects the cryptographic function according to the selected service.
16 . A method of authenticating a user to a service, the method including:
storing plural secret keys in a data store of a user device, each of said secret keys associated with one of a plurality of corresponding services;
the user operating the user device to select one of the corresponding services;
the user device generating an authentication code for authenticating the user to the selected service, the generated authentication code being derived from the secret key associated with the selected service; and
outputting the generated authentication code for communication to an authentication controller associated with the selected service.
17 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A method according to claim 16 further including providing a different cryptographic function for each service of the corresponding services, and selecting the a cryptographic function for generating the authentication code according to the selected service.
22 . A computer readable media including a set of instructions in the form of a computer software program, the instructions being executable by a processing device on-board an authentication device including a data store storing plural secret keys, each a said secret keys being associated with one of a plurality of corresponding services, the execution of the instructions causing the authentication device to:
prompt a user to select a service from the corresponding services;
generate, from the secret key associated with the selected service, a one time usable authentication code for communication to an authentication controller associated with the selected service; and
output the generated authentication code for communication to the authentication controller.