Authentication using a wireless mobile communication device

1. A method for requesting access to a user account from a network resource server, the method comprising:

providing an identifier of the user account to the network resource server;

subsequently receiving an initial portion of a password but not a remaining portion of the password at a mobile communication device; and

providing the initial portion of the password but not the remaining portion of the password to the network resource server.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the initial portion of the password comprises viewing the initial portion of the password in a display of the mobile communication device, and providing the initial portion of the password comprises typing the initial portion of the password one character at a time at a user input component coupled to the network resource server.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein receiving the initial portion of the password comprises viewing the initial portion of the password as a bar code in a display of the mobile communication device, and providing the initial portion of the password comprises presenting the display of the mobile communication device to a bar code reader coupled to the network resource server.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the initial portion of the password, once received at the mobile communication device, is programmed to a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag coupled to the mobile communication device, and providing the initial portion of the password comprises bringing the RFID tag within communication distance of an RFID reader coupled to the network resource server.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein providing the initial portion of the password comprises communicating the initial portion of the password from the mobile communication device via a short-range wireless communication link to a network resource client coupled via a network to the network resource server.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for a processor which when executed by a password server, results in:

generating a password;

determining an initial portion of the password and a remaining portion of the password;

calculating a value that is a function of the password;

sending the initial portion to a mobile communication device for output thereby;

sending the remaining portion to a password client;

receiving a value from the password client;

comparing the value received from the password client and the value calculated at the password server;

if the value received from the password client matches the value calculated by the password server, determining that the password client has successfully received the initial portion as output by the mobile communication device and the remaining portion from the password server, and therefore determining that authentication has succeeded; and

if the value received from the password client does not match the value calculated by the password server, determining that authentication has failed.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the password server, result in:

receiving a request for authentication from the password client, wherein the request comprises an identifier of the password client and an association label; and

looking up a device identifier associated at the password server with the identifier received from the password client in an association labeled with the association label,

wherein the mobile communication device to which the initial portion is sent is the mobile communication device identified by the device identifier.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 7 , wherein the association label received from the password client is correlated with a user account, and wherein the authentication is performed in order to determine whether to permit access to the user account.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein determining the initial portion and the remaining portion comprises:

generating a random position in the password;

using a consecutive sequence of elements of the password, starting from the random position, as the initial portion;

deeming any remaining elements of the password before the initial portion as a prefix; and

deeming any remaining elements of the password after the initial portion as a suffix,

wherein the prefix, if any, and the suffix, if any, together comprise the remaining portion.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the password server, result in:

sending combining information to the password client regarding how to combine the remaining portion and the initial portion.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 6 , wherein the instructions when executed by the password server, result in:

sending value calculation information to the password client regarding how the password client is to calculate the value from a combination of the initial portion and the remaining portion.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for a processor which when executed by a network resource server, results in:

receiving from the network resource server a request for authentication along with an identifier of an association between a mobile communication device and a user account at the network resource server;

requesting authentication from a password server by sending the identifier of the association to the password server;

receiving from the password server a remaining portion of a password generated by the password server;

instructing the network resource server to enable input of an initial portion of the password;

receiving input from the network resource server;

combining the input with the remaining portion to produce a combination;

calculating a value that is a function of the combination;

sending the value to the password server;

receiving from the password server an indication whether authentication has succeeded or failed;

if authentication has succeeded, instructing the network resource server to permit access to the user account; and

if authentication has failed, instructing the network resource server to restrict or deny access to the user account.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed by the network resource server, result in:

receiving combining information from the password server,

wherein combining the input with the remaining portion comprises combining the input with the remaining portion according to the combining information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed by the network resource server, result in:

receiving value calculation information from the password server,

wherein calculating the value comprises calculating the value according to the value calculation information.