Method, system and mobile device employing enhanced user authentication

1. A method of user authentication for a computing device, the method comprising:

storing, in a memory of the computing device, a user authentication framework application governing use of a plurality of different authenticators for controlling user access to the computing device, each of the different authenticators comprising a respective authentication application and a respective secure authentication device communicably coupled to the computing device; and

executing the user authentication framework application using a processor of the computing device, thereby resulting in the processor:

retrieving, from the memory, reference information identifying a configured selection of two or more of the different authenticators, and order-of-use information that identifies an order of consecutive use for the different authenticators of the configured selection, wherein the different authenticators of the configured selection include one or more required authenticators, the different authenticators of the configured selection having been selected at the computing device from a displayed list in which the one or more required authenticators were selected and could not be unselected;

performing authentications using the different authenticators of the configured selection in the order of consecutive use, the authentications being performed by the processor executing the respective authentication applications of the authenticators using inputs received from the respective secure authentication devices; and

allowing access to the computing device or data stored therein in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authenticators of the configured selection comprise one or more of: a smart card authenticator; a fingerprint authenticator; a handprint authenticator; an iris authenticator; a DNA authenticator; a voice authenticator; a retinal authenticator; or a facial image authenticator.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a user notification indicating successful authentication in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a user notification indicating unsuccessful authentication in response to determining that one or more of the authentications are unsuccessful.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

recording, in the memory of the computing device, information about the one or more unsuccessful authentications.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a user authentication framework application governing use of a plurality of different authenticators for controlling user access to a computing device, each of the different authenticators comprising a respective authentication application and a respective secure authentication device communicably coupled to the computing device, wherein execution of the user authentication framework application by a processor of the computing device, configures the processor to:

retrieve, from a memory of the computing device, reference information identifying a configured selection of two or more of the different authenticators, and order-of-use information that identifies an order of consecutive use for the different authenticators of the configured selection, wherein the different authenticators of the configured selection include one or more required authenticators, the different authenticators of the configured selection having been selected at the computing device from a displayed list in which the one or more required authenticators were selected and could not be unselected;

perform authentications using the different authenticators of the configured selection in the order of consecutive use, the authentications being performed by the processor executing the respective authentication applications of the authenticators using inputs received from the respective secure authentication devices; and

allow access to the computing device or data stored therein in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the authenticators of the configured selection comprise one or more of: a smart card authenticator; a fingerprint authenticator; a handprint authenticator; an iris authenticator; a DNA authenticator; a voice authenticator; a retinal authenticator; or a facial image authenticator.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

provide a user notification successful authentication in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

provide a user notification indicating unsuccessful authentication in response to determining that one or more of the authentications are unsuccessful.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

record, in the memory of the computing device, information about the one or more unsuccessful authentications.

13. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing a user authentication framework application governing use of a plurality of different authenticators for controlling user access to the computing device, each of the different authenticators comprising a respective authentication application and a respective secure authentication device communicably coupled to the computing device, wherein execution of the user authentication framework application by the processor, configures the processor to:

retrieve, from the memory, reference information identifying a configured selection of two or more of the different authenticators, and order-of-use information that identifies an order of consecutive use for the different authenticators of the configured selection, wherein the different authenticators of the configured selection include one or more required authenticators, the different authenticators of the configured selection having been selected at the computing device from a displayed list in which the one or more required authenticators were selected and could not be unselected;

perform authentications using the different authenticators of the configured selection in the order of consecutive use, the authentications being performed by the processor executing the respective authentication applications of the authenticators using inputs received from the respective secure authentication devices; and

allow access to the computing device or data stored therein in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the authenticators of the configured selection comprise one or more of: a smart card authenticator; a fingerprint authenticator; a handprint authenticator; an iris authenticator; a DNA authenticator; a voice authenticator; a retinal authenticator; or a facial image authenticator.

15. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device.

16. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

provide a user notification indicating successful authentication in response to determining that all of the authentications are successful.

17. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

provide a user notification indicating unsuccessful authentication in response to determining that one or more of the authentications are unsuccessful.

18. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to:

record, in the memory of the computing device, information about the one or more unsuccessful authentications.