Validating Strength Values For Account Security Questions
A device, system, and method validates strength values for security questions associated with an online account. The method performed by an online service server includes receiving a security question data from a user device, the security question data being utilized for a user authentication to access an account of a user. The method includes performing a search, using third party sources, to generate search result data, the search result data being indicative of an availability value of responses to the security question data. The method includes determining a strength value of the security question data based on the search result data.
1 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by an online service server, a security question data from a user device, the security question data being utilized for a user authentication to access an account of a user;
performing, by the online service server, a search, using third party sources, to generate search result data, the search result data being indicative of an availability value of responses to the security question data; and
determining, by the online service server, a strength value of the security question data based on the search result data.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the online service server, an answer data from the user device, the answer data corresponding to the security question data and being utilized for the use authentication;
performing, by the online service server, a further search, using the third party sources, to generate further search result data, the further result data being indicative of a further availability value of further responses to the security question data with the answer data; and
determining, by the online service server, a further strength value of the security question data with the answer data based on the further search result data.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the security question data is selected by the user from a plurality of predetermined security question data.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, by the online service server, an access grant from the user; and
accessing, by the online service server, the third party sources using the access grant.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the online service server, an indicator to the user device representing the strength value of the security question data.
6 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting, by the online service server, an indicator to the user device representing the further strength value of the security question data with the answer data.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing, by the online service server, the strength value of the security question data to a predetermined threshold value of a minimum security level;
when the strength value is greater than the predetermined threshold value, associating, by the online service server, the security question data with the account; and
when the strength value is lower than the predetermined threshold value, requesting, by the online service server, an update to the security question data from the user.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing is performed at a subsequent time, the subsequent time being one of at a predetermined time interval, at a dynamic time interval, and upon detecting an event, and wherein the determining is performed at the subsequent time to determine a subsequent strength value.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
comparing, by the online service server, the subsequent strength value to a predetermined threshold value of a minimum security level; and
when the subsequent strength value is lower than the predetermined threshold value, requesting, by the online service server, an update to the security question data.
10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
comparing, by the online service server, the subsequent strength value to the strength value; and
when the subsequent strength value has decreased from the strength value by a predetermined difference value, requesting, by the online service server, an update to the security question data.
11 . An online service server, comprising:
a transceiver communicating with a communications network to communicate with a user device utilized by a user, the transceiver receiving a security question data from the user device, the security question data being utilized for a user authentication to access an account of a user;
a processor coupled to the transceiver; and
a memory arrangement with an executable program stored thereon, the program instructing the processor to perform operations comprising:
performing a search, using third party sources, to generate search result data, the search result data being indicative of an availability value of responses to the security question data; and
determining a strength value of the security question data based on the search result data.
12 . The online service server of claim 13 , wherein the transceiver further:
receives an answer data from the user device, the answer data corresponding to the security question data and being utilized for the user authentication, and
wherein the program instructing the processor to perform operations further comprising:
performing a further search, using the third party sources, to generate further search result data, the further result data being indicative of a further availability value of further responses to the security question data with the answer data; and
determining a further strength value of the security question data with the answer data based on the further search result data.
13 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein the transceiver further transmits a plurality of predetermined security question data and receives a selection from the user device of the security question data.
14 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein the transceiver further receives an access grant from the user, the access grant being used to access the third party sources.
15 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein the transceiver further transmits an indicator to the user device representing the strength value of the security question data.
16 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein the program instructing the processor to perform operations further comprising:
comparing the strength value of the security question data to a predetermined threshold value of a minimum security level;
when the strength value is greater than the predetermined threshold value, associating the security question data with the account; and
when the strength value is lower than the predetermined threshold value, requesting an update to the security question data from the user.
17 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein processor performs the search at a subsequent time.
18 . The online service server of claim 17 , wherein the subsequent time is one of at a predetermined time interval, at a dynamic time interval, and upon detecting an event.
19 . The online service server of claim 11 , wherein the online service server is associated with a contact center that manages the account.
20 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by an online service server, an access request to access an account of a user from a user device, the account associated with a user account profile data including a security question data, an answer data corresponding to the security question data, and a strength value corresponding to the security question data, the strength value based on search result data of a search using third party sources, the strength value being indicative of an availability value of responses to the security question data;
determining, by the online service server, a timer value based on the strength value;
transmitting, by the online service server, an answer request to the user device requesting the answer data to be provided for the security question data; and
granting, by the online service server, access to the account by the user device when the answer data is received within the timer value.