Detecting soft token copies

1. A method for detecting unauthorized copies of a soft token that runs on a mobile device, comprising:

receiving, from a user, multiple authentication requests including token codes generated by the soft token;

receiving, from the mobile device and in connection with the authentication requests, multiple samples of a set of random bits;

generating multiple predicted samples of the set of random bits based on at least one sample of the set of random bits previously received from the mobile device;

testing whether the received samples of the set of random bits match the predicted samples of the set of random bits; and

identifying the use of an unauthorized soft token copy in response to the testing indicating that the received samples of the set of random bits do not match the predicted samples of the set of random bits,

wherein each of the received samples conveys only partial information for identifying the set of random bits.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving multiple samples of the set of random bits includes receiving multiple passcodes generated by the mobile device, each passcode conveying a token code and a sample of the set of random bits.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising analyzing the samples of the set of random bits received over an initial set of the authentication requests to learn values of the set of random bits, wherein generating multiple predicted samples of the set of random bits takes into account the learned values of the set of random bits.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the passcodes further include at least one data bit for communicating information from the mobile device, and wherein the method further comprises, in response to the testing indicating a mismatch between a received sample of the set of random bits and a respective predicted sample of the set of random bits, checking the at least one data bit for information indicating whether the mismatch was caused by a copied soft token.

5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising storing a seed value that is shared with the mobile device, wherein generating multiple predicted samples of the random bits includes, for each sample, computing the modulo-2 of an inner product of one of (i) the seed value and (ii) a value derived from the seed value with a pseudo random vector having a value that is updated with a pseudo random function for each sample to produce a 1-bit predicted sample.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein generating multiple predicted samples of the random bits further includes subjecting one of (i) the seed value and (ii) a value derived from the seed value to a forward secure function in response to testing indicating that a received sample of the random bits does not match a predicted sample of the random bits, wherein a result of the forward-secure function is used in generating subsequent predicted samples of the random bits.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising establishing a monotonic count for indicating a number of times one of (i) the seed value and (ii) a value derived from the seed value has been subjected to the forward secure function.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the monotonic count is indicative of a number of trigger events that have occurred on the mobile device, wherein trigger events indicate (i) detected malicious activity by the mobile device and (ii) that a copy has been made of the soft token.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising, in response to the testing indicating an additional mismatch between a received sample of the set of random bits and a respective predicted sample of the set of random bits:

calculating a predicted alternative sample based on a previous iteration of the forward-secure function corresponding to a previous value of the monotonic count; and

sending a message to a user of the mobile device to synchronize all copies of the soft token in response to predicted alternative samples matching received samples of the set of random bits in authentication requests received after the additional mismatch.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising in response to the monotonic count reaching a predetermined number, denying subsequent authentication requests received with token codes generated by any copy of the soft token.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

analyzing samples of the set of random bits received after the testing indicates a mismatch to learn an updated pattern of bits, the presence of which indicates creation of an authorized soft token copy;

after receiving a number of additional authentication requests, predicting new samples of the updated pattern of bits for authentication requests received after the number of additional authentication requests;

testing whether the predicted new samples match respective received samples; and

identifying the use of an unauthorized soft token copy in response to the testing indicating that there is not a match.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving multiple samples of the set of random bits includes receiving a first sample of the set of random bits in connection with a first authentication request and receiving a second sample of the set of random bits in connection with a second authentication request, wherein each of the first sample and the second sample conveys only partial information for identifying the set of random bits.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein testing whether the received samples of the set of random bits match the predicted samples includes testing the first sample of the set of random bits in response to receiving the first authentication request and testing the second sample of the set of random bits in response to receiving the second authentication request.

14. A server for detecting unauthorized copies of a soft token that runs on a mobile device, comprising:

a set of processors; and

memory, coupled to the set of processors, the memory constructed and arranged to store instructions executable by the set of processors,

wherein the set of processors executing instructions from the memory forms a specialized circuit constructed and arranged to:

receive, from a user, multiple authentication requests including token codes generated by the soft token;

receive, from the mobile device and in connection with the authentication requests, multiple samples of a set of random bits;

generate multiple predicted samples of the set of random bits based on at least one sample of the set of random bits previously received from the mobile device;

test whether the received samples of the set of random bits match the predicted samples of the set of random bits; and

identify the use of an unauthorized soft token copy in response to the testing indicating that the received samples of the set of random bits do not match the predicted samples of the set of random bits,

wherein each of the received samples conveys only partial information for identifying the set of random bits.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions which, when executed by a set of processors of a server, cause the set of processors to perform a method for detecting unauthorized copies of a soft token that runs on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user, multiple authentication requests including token codes generated by the soft token;

receiving, from the mobile device and in connection with the authentication requests, multiple samples of a set of random bits;

generating multiple predicted samples of the set of random bits based on at least one sample of the set of random bits previously received from the mobile device;

testing whether the received samples of the set of random bits match the predicted samples of the set of random bits; and

identifying the use of an unauthorized soft token copy in response to the testing indicating that the received samples of the set of random bits do not match the predicted samples of the set of random bits,

wherein each of the received samples conveys only partial information for identifying the set of random bits.

16. A method for enabling detection of unauthorized copies of a soft token that runs on a mobile device, comprising:

storing a seed value shared with a server;

generating a set of random bits;

subjecting one of (i) the seed value and (ii) a value derived from the seed value and the set of random bits to a forward secure function to produce a multi-bit value;

storing state information on the mobile device indicating that the forward-secure function has been run;

generating multiple samples of the multi-bit value;

generating multiple token codes; and

providing the token codes and samples for transmission to the server in connection with multiple authentication requests,

wherein each of the samples of the multi-bit value conveys only partial information for identifying the multi-bit value.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the token codes and samples includes combining the token codes and samples to form multiple respective passcodes, and displaying the passcodes on a display of the mobile device.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising executing a cloning operation to copy the soft token from the mobile device to a second device, wherein the cloning operation includes:

subjecting the multi-bit value to the forward secure function to produce a new multi-bit value;

transmitting the new multi-bit value from the mobile device to the second device; and

transmitting the stored state information from the mobile device to the second device;

wherein generating samples by the mobile device after transmitting the new multi-bit value and the stored state information is performed on the new multi-bit value.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein subjecting the multi-bit value to the forward secure function includes providing the multi-bit value to the forward-secure function along with some extra bits to produce the new multi-bit value.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising executing a second cloning operation to copy the soft token from the mobile device to a third device, wherein the second cloning operation includes:

subjecting the new multi-bit value to the forward secure function to produce a second new multi-bit value;

transmitting the second new multi-bit value from the mobile device to the third device; and

transmitting the stored state information from the mobile device to the third device;

wherein generating samples by the mobile device after transmitting is performed on the second new multi-bit value.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein subjecting the new multi-bit value to the forward secure function includes providing the new multi-bit value to the forward-secure function along with second extra bits to produce the second new multi-bit value.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising receiving a message from the server directing a user of the mobile device to synchronize the soft token copies on the mobile device, the second device, and the third device.