Electronic verification systems and methods

1. A verification system for verifying a session user for use with a partner server for storing user information associated with the plurality of users and a partner app/site forming a portal to the user information stored on the partner server, where the partner app/site allows the plurality of users to enter session user credentials, the verification system comprising:

an authentication server that stores

stored user credentials associated with each of a plurality of users, and

a reference signature associated with each of the plurality of users, where each reference signature represents a plurality of handwritten calibration signatures entered, using at least one touch sensitive screen, by the user associated each reference signature;

an authentication plug-in running on a first computing system that

presents communications options to the plurality of users, and

allows the plurality of users to identify at least one selected communications option; and

an authentication application running on a second computing system that allows the plurality of users to enter a handwritten session signature; wherein

the authentication server compares session user credentials entered using the partner app/site with the stored user credentials to validate the session user credentials;

if the session user credentials are validated, the authentication plug-in

presents to the session user at least one communications method associated with the session user,

allows the session user to identify a selected communications method from the at least one communications method presented to the session user, and

sends an authentication message to the session user using the selected communications method;

the authentication application

allows the session user to enter a handwritten session signature in response to the authentication message, and

sends the handwritten session signature to the authentication server;

the authentication server

compares the handwritten session signature entered by the session user with the reference signature associated with the session user to validate the handwritten session signature entered by the session user, and

if the handwritten session signature entered by the session user is validated,

generates an authentication score block containing scores of signature matching tests and additional factors associated with authentication of the handwritten session signature, where the additional factors associated with authentication of the handwritten signature include at least one of location and number of authentication attempts;

sends the authentication score block to the partner server; and

using at least one of the scores of the signature matching tests and the additional factors of the authentication score block, the partner app/site makes a decision whether to allow the session user to access a set of user information that is associated with the session user and stored on the partner server.

2. The verification system as recited in claim 1 , in which the authentication server:

creates a session token if the session user credentials are validated;

marks the session token as “in progress”; and

sends the session token to the authentication plugin with the at least one communications method associated with the session user.

3. The verification system as recited in claim 2 , in which:

the authentication application sends the session token to the authentication server after the authentication message has been received by the session user; and

the authentication server marks the session token as “validated internally” if the handwritten signature entered by the session user is validated.

4. The verification system as recited in claim 3 , in which:

the partner app/site sends the session token to the partner server if the handwritten signature has been validated;

the partner server requests validation of the session token from the authentication server; and

the authentication server marks the session token as “validated externally”.

5. A method of verifying a session user comprising the steps of:

storing stored user credentials associated with each of a plurality of users,

storing a reference signature associated with each of the plurality of users, where

each reference signature represents a plurality of handwritten calibration signatures entered, using at least one touch sensitive screen, by the user associated each reference signature;

storing user information associated with the plurality of users;

providing a portal to the user information stored on the partner server, where the portal allows the plurality of users to enter session user credentials;

allowing the session user to enter session user credentials;

comparing the session user credentials with the stored user credentials to validate the session user credentials; if the session user credentials are validated,

presenting to the session user on a first computing system at least one communications method associated with the session user,

allowing the session user to identify a selected communications method from the at least one communications method presented to the session user, and

sending an authentication message to the session user using the selected communications method;

in response to receipt by the session user of the authentication message,

allowing the session user to enter a handwritten session signature on a second

computing system in response to the authentication message;

comparing the handwritten session signature entered by the session user with the reference signature associated with the session user to validate the handwritten session signature entered by the session user;

generating an authentication score block containing scores of signature matching tests and additional factors associated with authentication of the handwritten session signature where the additional factors associated with authentication of the handwritten signature include at least one of location and number of authentication attempts; and

using at least one of the scores of the signature matching tests and the additional factors of the authentication score block, making a decision whether to allow the session user to access a set of user information that is associated with the session user and stored on the partner server.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 , in which further comprising the steps of:

creating a session token if the session user credentials are validated;

marking the session token as “in progress”; and

sending the session token to the authentication plugin with the at least one communications method associated with the session user.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

sending the session token to the authentication server after the authentication message has been received by the session user; and

marking the session token as “validated internally” if the handwritten signature entered by the session user is validated.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 , further comprising the steps of:

sending the session token if the handwritten signature has been validated;

requesting validation of the session token; and marking the session token as “validated externally”.