Methods and systems for user authentication

1. A computer-implemented method for accessing a web service, comprising:

generating, by a computing device, a registration request for a first user to access a web service;

generating a public/private key pair for the combination of the first user and the web service;

storing, by the computing device, the private key of the public/private key pair in a database;

sending, by the computing device, the registration request and the public key of the public/private key pair to the web service;

sending a first request for the first user to access first content from the web service;

receiving, in response to the first request, a first challenge;

resolving, by the computing device, the first challenge using the private key;

sending a first challenge response comprising the resolved first challenge, to the web service;

receiving access to the first content;

generating an encryption key from a master password for the user;

encrypting the database with the encryption key;

receiving, by the computing device, the master password; and

decrypting the database.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the master password is not sent by the computing device to any other device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first challenge response is generated programmatically by signing the first challenge.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, by the computing device, the database from a replication server.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the public/private key pair is unique to a combination of the first user and the first content.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating, in response to the registration request, a user profile comprising the public key and a user identifier.

7. A system comprising:

a memory device; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory device, the at least one processor being operative to:

generate a registration request for a first user to access a web service;

generate a public/private key pair for the combination of the first user and the web service;

store the private key of the public/private key pair in a database;

send the registration request and the public key of the public/private key pair to the web service;

send a first request for the first user to access first content from the web service;

receive, in response to the first request, a first challenge;

resolve the first challenge using the private key;

send a challenge response comprising the resolved first challenge, to the web service;

receive access to the first content;

generate an encryption key from a master password for the user;

encrypt the database with the encryption key;

receive, by the computing device, the master password; and

decrypt the database.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the master password is not sent by the system to any other device.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the challenge response is generated programmatically by signing the first challenge.

10. The system of claim 7 , further wherein the database is received from a replication server.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the public/private key pair is unique to a combination of the first user and the first content.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing device is operative to create, in response to the registration request, a user profile comprising the public key and a user identifier.

13. A method comprising:

generating a first registration request for a first user to access a web service;

generating a first public/private key pair for the combination of the first user and the web service;

storing a first private key of the first public/private key pair in a database;

sending the registration request and a first public key of the first public/private key pair to the web service;

sending a first request for the first user to access first content from the web service;

receiving, in response to the first request, a first challenge;

resolving the first challenge using the first private key;

sending a first challenge response comprising the resolved first challenge, to the web service;

receiving access to the first content;

generating a second registration request for the first user to access a second web service;

generating a second public/private key pair, including a second private key and a second public key, for the combination of the first user and the second web service;

storing the second private key in the database;

sending the second registration request and the second public key to the second web service;

sending a second request for the first user to access second content from the second web service;

receiving, in response to the second request, a second challenge;

resolving the second challenge using the second private key;

sending a second challenge response comprising the resolved second challenge to the second web service; and

receiving, by the computing device, access to the second content.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the master password is not sent to any other device.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first challenge response and the second challenge response are generated programmatically by signing the first challenge and the second challenge respectively.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the first public/private key pair is unique to a combination of the first user and the first content.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising receiving the database from a replication server.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising creating, in response to the first registration request, a user profile comprising the first public key and a user identifier.