System and method for graduated security in user authentication

1. A computer system for requesting personal information from a user for authenticating access to at least one computer application of a plurality of computer applications, said computer system comprising a memory device and a processor, said computer system programmed to:

identify a security level from a plurality of security levels for each computer application within the plurality of computer applications, wherein the plurality of security levels include at least a first-tier security level and a second-tier security level, wherein the second-tier security level requires the user to enter additional personal information as compared to the first-tier security level, wherein a first computer application within the plurality of computer applications is configured to require the first-tier security level;

create a user account for the user within the memory device, wherein creating the user account includes configuring the user account with the first-tier security level by prompting the user to provide first personal information associated with the user, wherein the first personal information is previously unknown to the computer system;

restrict the first computer application from requiring a password to enable access to the first computer application;

receive a user input from the user to access a second computer application that is configured to require the second-tier security level to enable access thereto;

determine that the user account has not been granted the second-tier security level;

prompt the user to enter the additional personal information associated with the user that is previously unknown to the computer system; and

promote the user account to the second-tier security level, including associating the additional personal information with the user account.

2. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of computer applications comprise a first computer application having multiple modules, wherein each module is assigned at least one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level.

3. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of security levels further includes a third-tier security level, wherein the third-tier security level requires further personal information as compared to the second-tier security level.

4. The computer system in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to:

prohibit execution of the second application by the user account if the user account is configured as having the first-tier security level; and

prohibit execution of a third application by the user account if the user account is configured as having one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level, wherein the third application is configured as requiring a third-tier security level.

5. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the additional personal information includes at least an account name and a password.

6. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to determine that the user account requires the second-tier security level based at least in part on the user account interacting with the second application.

7. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to:

restrict the second application from storing account number information.

8. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the computing system is further programmed to prompt the user using CAPTCHA prior to promoting the user account to the second-tier security level.

9. A computer-implemented method for requesting personal information from a user for authenticating access to at least one computer application of a plurality of computer applications using a computer device in communication with the plurality of computer applications, the method comprising:

defining a security level from a plurality of security levels for each computer application of the plurality of computer applications, wherein the plurality of security levels include at least a first-tier security level and a second-tier security level, wherein the second-tier security level requires the user to enter additional personal information as compared to the first-tier security level, wherein a first computer application within the plurality of computer applications is configured to require the first-tier security level;

creating a user account for the user within the authentication tool, wherein creating the user account includes configuring the user account as the first-tier security level by prompting the user to provide first personal information associated with the user, wherein the first personal information is previously unknown to the computer system;

restricting the first computer application from requiring a password to enable access to the first computer application;

receiving a user input from the user to access a second computer application that is configured to require the second-tier security level to enable access thereto;

determining that the user account has not been granted the second-tier security level;

prompting the user to enter the additional personal information associated with the user that is previously unknown to the computer system; and

promoting the user account to the second-tier security level, including associating the additional personal information with the user account.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein defining a security level comprises defining a security level for each module of a plurality of modules, wherein the plurality of modules comprise a first computer application of the plurality of computer applications.

11. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein defining a security level comprises defining a security level from a plurality of security levels further including a third-tier security level, wherein the third-tier security level requires additional personal information as compared to the second-tier security level.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 , further comprising:

prohibiting execution of the second application by the user account if the user account is configured as having the first-tier security level; and

prohibiting execution of a third application by the user account if the user account is configured as having one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level, wherein the third application is configured as requiring the third-tier security level.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein prompting the user comprises prompting the user for at least an account name and a password.

14. The method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein determining that a user account requires second-tier security level comprises determining based at least in part on the user account interacting with the second application.

15. A method in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:

restricting the second application from storing account number information.

16. A method in accordance with claim 9 , wherein promoting the user account to a second tier security level includes prompting the user using CAPTCHA prior to promoting the user account to the second-tier security level.

17. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

identify a security level from a plurality of security levels for each computer application within a plurality of computer applications, wherein the plurality of security levels include at least a first-tier security level and a second-tier security level, wherein second-tier security level requires a user to enter additional personal information as compared to the first-tier security level, wherein a first computer application within the plurality of computer applications is configured to require the first-tier security level;

create a user account for the user within a memory device communicatively coupled with the processor, wherein creating the user account includes configuring the user account as the first-tier security level by prompting the user to provide first personal information associated with the user, wherein the first personal information is previously unknown to the computer system;

restrict the first computer application from requiring a password to enable access to the first computer application;

receive a user input to access a second computer application that is configured to require the second-tier security level;

determine that the user account has not been granted the second-tier security level;

prompt the user to enter the additional personal information associated with the user that is previously unknown to the computer system; and

promote the user account to the second-tier security level, including associating the additional personal information with the user account.

18. The computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of computer applications comprise a first computer application having multiple modules, wherein each module is assigned at least one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of security levels further includes a third-tier security level, wherein the third-tier security level requires further personal information as compared to the second-tier security level.

20. The computer-readable storage media of claim 19 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

prohibit execution of the second application by the user account if the user account is configured as having the first-tier security level; and

prohibit execution of a third application by the user account if the user account is configured as having one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level, wherein the third application is configured as requiring the third-tier security level.

21. The computer-readable storage media of claim 17 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to determine that the user account requires second-tier security level based at least in part on the user account interacting with a first application of the plurality of applications requiring the second-tier security level.

22. A computer system for requesting personal information from a user for authenticating access to a computer application including a plurality of modules, said computer system comprising a memory device and a processor, said computer system programmed to:

identify a security level from a plurality of security levels for one or more modules of the plurality of modules, wherein the plurality of security levels include at least a first-tier security level and a second-tier security level, wherein the second-tier security level requires the user to enter additional personal information as compared to the first-tier security level, wherein a first module within the plurality of modules is configured to require the first-tier security level;

create a user account for the user within the memory device, wherein creating the user account includes configuring the user account with the first-tier security level by prompting the user to provide first personal information associated with the user, wherein the first personal information is previously unknown to the computer system;

restrict the first module from requiring a password to enable access to the first module;

receive a user input from the user to access a second module that is configured to require the second-tier security level to enable access thereto;

determine that the user account has not been granted the second-tier security level;

prompt the user to enter the additional personal information associated with the user that is previously unknown to the computer system; and

promote the user account to the second-tier security level, including associating the additional personal information with the user account.

23. The computer system in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the security level further includes a third-tier security level, wherein the third-tier security level requires further personal information as compared to the second-tier security level.

24. The computer system in accordance with claim 23 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to:

prohibit execution of the second module within the plurality of modules by the user account if the user account is configured as having the first-tier security level; and

prohibit execution of a third module within the plurality of modules by the user account if the user account is configured as having one of the first-tier security level and the second-tier security level, wherein the third module is configured as requiring a third-tier security level.

25. The computer system in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the additional personal information includes at least an account name and a password.

26. The computer system in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to determine that the user account requires the second-tier security level based at least in part on the user account interacting with the second module.

27. The computer system in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the computer system is further programmed to:

restrict the second module from storing account number information.