System and Method for Providing Persistent Authentication in an Information Handling System

1 . An information handling system, comprising:

a first secure resource;

a first input device that receives a first authentication credential from a user and generates first authentication information based upon the first authentication credential;

an authentication engine that receives the first authentication information and provides first confidence information based upon the first authentication information; and

a first authentication agent that receives the first confidence information and grants to the user a first level access to the first secure resource based upon the first confidence information.

2 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the information handling system receives an authenticated token for the user in response to receiving the first authentication credential at the first input device.

3 . The information handling system of claim 2 , wherein the first input device:

generates a generated token for the user based upon the first authentication information;

determines if the generated token matches the authenticated token; and

generates the first authentication information when the generated token matches the authenticated token.

4 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first authentication information comprises a generated token for the user;

in providing the first confidence information, the authentication engine:

determines if the generated token matches the authenticated token; and

provides the first confidence information when the generated token matches the authenticated token.

5 . The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein:

the confidence information comprises a confidence score that is based upon first authentication information; and

the first authentication agent grants the user the first level access to the first secure resource when the confidence score is above a confidence score threshold.

6 . The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein:

the confidence information further comprises a confidence level that is based upon confidence score; and

the first authentication agent grants the user the first level access to the first secure resource when the confidence level is above a confidence level threshold.

7 . The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein:

the confidence information further comprises confidence metadata that is based upon a condition of the authentication information; and

the first authentication agent grants the user the first level access to the first secure resource based upon the confidence metadata.

8 . The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second input device that receives a second authentication credential from the user and generates second authentication information based upon the second authentication credential;

wherein:

the authentication engine receives the second authentication information and provides second confidence information based upon the second authentication information; and

the first authentication agent that receives the second confidence information and grants the user a second level access to the first secure resource based upon the second confidence information.

9 . The information handling system of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second secure resource; and

a second authentication agent that receives the first confidence information and grants the user a second level access to the second secure resource based upon the first confidence information.

10 . A method, comprising:

receiving, at a first input device of an information handling system, a first authentication credential from a user;

generating first authentication information based upon the first authentication credential;

receiving, at an authentication engine of the information handling system, the first authentication information;

providing first confidence information based upon the first authentication information;

receiving, at a first authentication agent of the information handling system, the first confidence information; and

granting to the user a first level access to a first secure resource of the information handling system based upon the first confidence information.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving an authenticated token for the user in response to receiving the first authentication credential at the first input device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

generating, by the first input device, a generated token for the user based upon the first authentication information; and

determining if the generated token matches the authenticated token; and

wherein the first authentication information is generated when the generated token matches the authenticated token.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the first authentication information comprises a generated token for the user;

in providing the first confidence information, the method further comprises determining if the generated token matches the authenticated token; and

the first confidence information is provided when the generated token matches the authenticated token.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein:

the confidence information comprises a confidence score that is based upon first authentication information; and

the user is granted the first level access to the first secure resource when the confidence score is above a confidence score threshold.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

the confidence information further comprises a confidence level that is based upon confidence score; and

the user is granted the first level access to the first secure resource when the confidence level is above a confidence level threshold.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the confidence information further comprises confidence metadata that is based upon a condition of the authentication information; and

the user is granted the first level access to the first secure resource based upon the confidence metadata.

17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, by a second input device of the information handling system, a second authentication credential from the user;

generating second authentication information based upon the second authentication credential;

receiving, at the authentication engine, the second authentication information; and

providing second confidence information based upon the second authentication information;

receiving, at the first authentication agent, the second confidence information; and

granting the user a second level access to the first secure resource based upon the second confidence information.

18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

receiving, at a second authentication agent of the information handling system, the first confidence information; and

granting the user a second level access to a second secure resource of the information handling system based upon the first confidence information.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium including code for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving, at a first input device of an information handling system, a first authentication credential;

generating first authentication information based upon the first authentication credential;

receiving, at an authentication engine of the information handling system, the first authentication information;

providing first confidence information based upon the first authentication information;

receiving the first confidence information; and

granting a first level access to a first secure resource of the information handling system based upon the first confidence information.

20 . The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein:

the first authentication information comprises a generated token for the user;

in providing the first confidence information, the method further comprises determining if the generated token matches the authenticated token; and

the first confidence information is provided when the generated token matches the authenticated token.