Secure authentication systems and methods
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided for authentication by combining a Reverse Turing Test (RTT) with password-based user authentication protocols to provide improved resistance to brute force attacks. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for user authentication, the method including receiving a username/password pair associated with a user; requesting one or more responses to a first Reverse Turing Test (RTT); and granting access to the user if a valid response to the first RTT is received and the username/password pair is valid.
1. A method for authenticating a user for access to an electronic resource managed by a system, the system comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the-system to perform the method, the method comprising:
receiving personal information from a user device attempting to access the electronic resource;
determining whether the personal information is valid;
determining that the personal information has not been previously provided to the system;
requesting, after and in response to receiving the personal information from the user device and determining that the personal information has not been previously provided to the system, one or more responses to a Reverse Turing Test (RTT), regardless of whether the personal information is valid;
receiving one or more responses to the RTT;
determining whether the one or more responses to the RTT are valid; and
selectively granting the user device access to the electronic resource only if the personal information is valid and the one or more responses to the RTT are valid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the personal information has not been previously provided to the system comprises determining that information indicating that the personal information has been previously provided to the system by the user device has not been received by the system.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the information indicating that the personal information has been previously provided to the system comprises a cookie.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the personal information has not been previously provided to the system comprises determining that information indicating that the personal information has been previously provided to the system by the user device is not stored by the system.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the information indicating that the personal information has been previously provided to the system comprises a cookie.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the information indicating that the personal information has been previously provided to the system comprises identification information associated with the user device.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the identification information associated with the user device comprises an internet protocol address.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining that one or more valid responses to a prior RTT have not been previously provided to the system and wherein requesting one or more responses to the RTT is further in response to determining that one or more valid responses to a prior RTT have not been previously provided to the system.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the personal information has not been previously provided to the system comprises determining that invalid personal information has been a provided to the system a predetermined threshold number of times.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal information is provided by the user manually.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal information is provided automatically.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTT is independent of the personal information.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTT is based on a non-deterministic or random function that depends on the personal information.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises presenting the RTT only after receiving the personal information.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal information comprises a username/password pair, and wherein a time between receiving the username/password pair and requesting the one or more responses to the RTT is not increased in response to a determination that the username/password pair is invalid.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTT comprises at least one of:
a deterministic function;
a non-deterministic function; and
a random function.
17. The method of claim of claim 1 , wherein the RTT comprises an audible sound.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic resource comprises at least one of:
a bank account;
an Internet auction;
a stock trading account; and
an email account.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining whether the one or more responses to the RTT are valid comprises determining whether the one or more responses to the RTT are within a defined threshold margin of error of a valid response.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTT comprises a deterministic function of the valid personal information.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTT comprises an image on which the user is instructed to locate certain characters.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the user is instructed to locate the certain characters using at least one of a cursor control device and a touch screen display.