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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of user validation within a
computer system. In particular, the present invention relates to user
validation with respect to a multi-user computer system ("network").
(2) Prior Art
In multi-user networked computer systems (e.g., within the internet
protocol), an application program ("application") is available to a large
number of unregulated users over the network. Typically for a given
application, only a subset of the total number of users on the network are
authorized to enter and use the application. In these cases, the
application is required to perform some type of user validation or
authentication which is designed to discriminate among the attempted users
of the application so that only authorized or validated users are
permitted entry. The user authentication system is typically implemented
at user logon time, or, as the case with stateless systems, user
authentication is performed upon each transaction between the user and the
application because there is no memory of prior transactions in stateless
systems.
In the past, one method of user authentication required a user password
that was given to each authorized user and entry to the application was
denied to any user without the password. However, user passwords and user
identification codes can be readily compromised over a multi-user computer
system. Once a password is stolen for a particular user, entry to the
application is then compromised and detection of the unauthorized entry
can go unrecorded in these prior art systems. What is needed is a user
authentication system that offers security of access even if a user
password or identification is stolen. What is also needed is an
authentication system that effectively records and flags unauthorized
entry. The present invention provides such security.
In one particular prior art system, a user is requested to input a user
identification (e.g., a user name or handle), a personal password, and a
user email address (e.g., using smtp, simple mail transport protocol, over
the internet). A generated key is then forwarded to the email address of
the user. The user then accesses the email message and inputs the key to
the application to gain entry. Once access is granted, the user uses the
user identification and password to gain entry. The application is entered
using the internet and http, hypertext transfer protocol. However, this
system can be compromised because an unauthorized user knowing the user's
identification and password can gain entry to the application. Further,
this prior art system does not take into account the unique address of the
computer system employed by the user to communicate with the application.
What is needed is a system that does not allow this type of breach of
security by preventing unauthorized email addresses from being entered by
a user. The present invention provides such a system.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a user validation system that
offers entry security even if a user password or identification number is
compromised. Further, the present invention offers a user validation
system that not only safe guards against unauthorized entry, but also
effectively records and flags unauthorized entries to authorized users.
Further, the present invention provides the above user validation system
that also does not allow the entry of unauthorized email addresses by
unauthorized users. These and other advantages of the present invention
not specifically described above will become clear within discussions of
the present invention herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method and system are described for performing user validation in a
multi-user computer system. The present invention has particular
application to the multi-user internet protocol. Within the system, an
application contains a list of registered users. For each registered user,
the application stores a user identification number, an email (electronic
mail) address, and a database containing each validated IP address for
that user. The email address is obtained off-line during user
registration. When a user requests access to the application over the
multi-user system (e.g., using http), the application requires the user to
input a user identification value and, simultaneously, the application
accesses the user's current IP address (e.g., the user's internet domain
address) over the multi-user system. The application attempts to validate
the user identification, and if valid, the application examines its
database to determine if the user is authorized for its current IP
address. If so, access is permitted. If the user identification is not
valid, access is denied. If the user identification is valid, but the
current IP address is not authorized, the application determines a
validation key ("key") based on the user identification and the current IP
address. A procedure is used to determine the pseudo unique key such that
it cannot be readily guessed knowing the user identification and the
current IP address. The key is then forwarded over the multi-user system
via the email internet application (e.g., smtp) to the user's known email
address. The user then is required to access the user's email and enter
that key into the application to authorize the current IP address.
Security is provided because (1) given a user identification, which can be
stolen, the unauthorized user also needs to access the application using a
validated IP address and (2) email (a "present" rather than demand system)
is used to transmit the key to the user at a known user address that is
not given on-line.
Specifically, embodiments of the present invention include a method in a
computer system, the method authorizing a user for access to an
application system and comprising the steps of: requesting a user
identification from a user, the step of requesting performed over a first
interface protocol of the multi-user computer system; accessing an address
identifying a computer system employed by the user to originate access
requests; generating a key for the user and specific to the address, the
key based on the address and the user identification; transferring the key
to the user via a second interface protocol of the multi-user computer
system; receiving a user entered validation value from the user over the
first interface protocol of the multi-user computer system; and granting
access of the application system to the user if the user entered
validation value equals the key for that address and user identification.
Embodiments include the above and wherein the multi-user computer system
utilizes an internet protocol and wherein the first interface protocol is
the world wide web internet application using the hypertext transfer
protocol (http) and wherein the second interface protocol is the
electronic mail internet application using the simple mail transport
protocol (smtp). Embodiments include the above and wherein the step of
generating the key comprises the steps of: accessing a secret code string;
concatenating the secret code string, the user identification, and the
address to generate a first value; and performing a first procedure upon
the first value to produce a fixed length pseudo unique value
corresponding to the first value wherein said pseudo unique value is said
key. Embodiments also include a computer system implemented in accordance
with the above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary hardware configuration that can be used in
accordance with the present invention validation system.
FIG. 2 is a logical block diagram of different protocols accessible over an
exemplary internet multi-user computer system in accordance with the
present invention.
FIG. 3A is a logical block diagram illustrating two different communication
protocols (e.g., www using http and email using smtp) that are used by a
user to communicate with the validation system in accordance with the
preset invention.
FIG. 3B is a logical block diagram of components of the application system
310 of the present invention.
FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary user identification screen ("form") in
accordance with the validation system of the present invention.
FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary IP address validation screen ("form") in
accordance with the validation system of the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary email validation message containing a key
in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of steps of the present invention
validation method including steps for accessing a user identification and
validating the user's current IP address.
FIG. 7 illustrates steps of the present invention validation method for an
invalid user identification.
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of steps of the present invention method for
determining a new key for an unrecognized user IP address.
FIG. 9 illustrates steps of the present invention validation system for
validating an input key from a user with respect to a user IP address.
FIG. 10 illustrates steps of the present invention validation method in
response to an invalid key or validation time-out.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous
specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough
understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one
skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without
these specific details. In other instances, well known methods,
procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail to
avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present invention.
NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE
Some portions of the detailed descriptions which follow are presented in
terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic
representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory. These
descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in
the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their
work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer executed step,
logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a
self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired
result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical
quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the
form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored,
transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer
system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of
common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements,
symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms
are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are
merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically
stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is
appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing
terms such as "processing" or "computing" or "calculating" or
"determining" or "displaying" or the like, refer to the action and
processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device,
that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic)
quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other
data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer
system memories or registers or other such information storage,
transmission or display devices.
COMPUTER SYSTEM 112
With reference to the user validation system of the present invention, as
described below, aspects of the present invention are described in terms
of steps executed on a computer system. Although a variety of different
computer systems can be used with the present invention, an exemplary
computer system 112 is shown in FIG. 1. In general, computer systems 112
that can be used by the present invention comprise an address/data bus 100
for communicating information, a central processor 101 coupled with the
bus for processing information and instructions, a volatile memory 102
(e.g., random access memory) coupled with the bus 100 for storing
information and instructions for the central processor 101, a non-volatile
memory 103 (e.g., read only memory) coupled with the bus 100 for storing
static information and instructions for the processor 101, a data storage
device 104 such as a magnetic or optical disk and disk drive coupled with
the bus 100 for storing information and instructions, a display device 105
coupled to the bus 100 for displaying information to the computer user, an
optional alphanumeric input device 106 including alphanumeric and function
keys coupled to the bus 100 for communicating information and command
selections to the central processor 101, an optional cursor control device
107 coupled to the bus for communicating user input information and
command selections to the central processor 101, and a signal generating
device 108 coupled to the bus 100 for interfacing with other networked
computer systems.
The display device 105 of FIG. 1 utilized with the computer system 112 of
the present invention may be a liquid crystal device, cathode ray tube, or
other display device suitable for creating graphic images and alphanumeric
characters recognizable to the user. Also coupled to the signal generating
device is a multi-user network interface (e.g., an internet interface)
which couples computer system 112 to a multi-user system (e.g., the
internet in one embodiment of the present invention). Interface 110 is
coupled to communicate with an application system 310. It is appreciated
that the application system 310 contains a hardware platform (e.g.,
analogous to computer system 112) which executes instructions to implement
the application program. The present invention user validation system
gives the application system 310 a level of security to help prevent
unauthorized entry of the application system 310 over the internet
interface 110.
PRESENT INVENTION COMMUNICATION INTERFACES
With reference to FIG. 2, the internet interface 110 (FIG. 1) is described
in more detail. The internet 210 is a well known connection of world wide
computer systems that operate using the well known internet protocol. The
internet 210 is one type of multi-user computer system. Other internet
applications (e.g., using specific protocols) operate on top of the
internet protocol. One such application is the well known world wide web
or www internet application 212 which operates using the hypertext
transfer protocol or http. The www internet application 212 is a "demand
system" in which a user requests information from a site and the site
transfers the information back to the user on-line. Also well known is the
email internet application 216 which operates using the simple mail
transport protocol or smtp. The email internet application 216 is a
"present system" in that an information transfer command originates from a
sender site and information pursuant that command is presented to the
target email address. Another internet application is the file transfer
internet application 214 which operates using the file transfer protocol,
ftp. In one embodiment, the present invention user validation system
utilizes the www 212 and email 216 internet applications as well as the
internet protocol 210. Other embodiments of the present invention are
implemented in other multi-user computer environments.
FIG. 3A illustrates a logical diagram of the present invention user
validation system 310a in combination with a user terminal system 112
(user system), the user's email account 220, and elements of the internet
interface 110 (FIG. 1). The user terminal system 112 (FIG. 1) is used by
the user to originate access requests to the application system 310 (which
contains validation system 310a). FIG. 3A specifically illustrates
pertinent information transfers and communication interfaces in accordance
with the present invention. The user system 112 is assigned a unique
internet domain address number ("IP address") by the internet interface
110. In one embodiment, the IP address is composed of four octet wide
addresses to produce a 32 bits wide address. The user system 112 is
communicatively coupled to the user validation system 310a using the www
internet application 212 and the email internet application 216.
Although shown as a single system in FIG. 3A, the user can utilize a number
of different user systems to communicate with the user validation system
310a of the present invention. In this case, the user can be validated for
and from a number of different IP addresses. Within the present invention,
the user is allowed a number of different user systems 112 (FIG. 1) and
each is recorded by the present invention. However, it is understood that
of the recognized accounts, the present invention selects a particular
mail account 220 for communicating a validation key ("key"). It is
appreciated that the user system 112 contains software to implement a
forms-capable browser allowing the user to browse sites having forms (also
called "screens" herein) over the internet 110 (FIG. 1) using the www
internet application 212 running http.
The user validation system 310a of FIG. 3A is a part of the application
system 310 of FIG. 1 and functions to regulate the use of application
system 310 to authorized users only. The user system 112 is also coupled
to communicate with a user email account 220 which contains messages for
the user that are received over the email internet application 216. During
validation, a user identification value (user ID), the IP address of the
user system 112 (IP address), and a user-returned key (validation value)
are supplied by the user over the www internet application 212. The email
internet application 216 is also used during user validation.
Specifically, the user validation system 310a originates the key and
forwards it to the user via the email internet application 216.
As shown by FIG. 3A, the user validation system 310a of the present
invention maintains a database having an entry for each authorized user.
Each entry includes the user's identification (user ID), the user's email
address, and each IP address for which the user is authorized. This
information is described in more detail to follow. The user's email
address is known to the user validation system 310a upon user
registration. During the validation process, the user validation system
310a does not request the user email address from the user over the
internet interface 110 (FIG. 1) to prevent entry of unauthorized email
addresses.
FIG. 3B illustrates components of the application system 310 (FIG. 1) of
the present invention. Included are a processor 101', a non-volatile
information storage unit 104', and an input/output device 108', each
coupled to a bus 100'. Also coupled to the bus 100' is a computer readable
memory unit 102' which contains program code to implement the user
validation system 310a. Memory 102' can optionally also include the
application program 312. The input/output device 108' couples to the
internet and interface block 110 (FIG. 1).
USER VALIDATION USER SCREENS AND MESSAGES
During user validation, the present invention user validation system 310a
(FIG. 3A) utilizes several display screens (also called "forms") and
messages that are rendered to the user (e.g., over display device 105 of
FIG. 1). With reference to FIG. 4A, the user identification screen 260 is
illustrated. Upon an attempted access to the application system 310 (FIG.
1), the user validation system 310a generates the user identification
screen 260 to the user to access the user's user ID. The screen 260
contains a message header 262 indicating the purpose of the screen and
optionally contains instructions and introductory information. An input
field 264 is displayed to receive the user ID from the user. An enter
button 266 is optionally displayed that can be activated to accept the
user ID when the user ID is completely entered by the user. An exit button
268 is also optionally provided to clear the user ID or to exit the screen
260. Other messages and/or internet (e.g. www) addresses can be displayed
in optional message field 270.
If application system 310 (FIG. 1) is a connection system, then screen 260
is only displayed upon initial user logon. If application system 310 is a
stateless system, then screen 260 is displayed upon the initial access to
application system 310 by the user. The initial access to application
system 310 opens an http access window (also known as an http form) on the
user system 112 (FIG. 1). In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention (e.g., with regard to the stateless system), screen 260 will not
be displayed again for subsequent user transactions unless the user closes
the http internet access window to the application system 310. In a
stateless system, for each transaction between the user and the
application system 310, the present invention embeds the user ID value
into the http access window in a text string whose input type is hidden.
In this way, each transaction performed by the user using the http access
window of the present invention automatically transmits the user's user
ID.
If user validation is required (described further below), the present
invention displays to the user a user validation screen 280 as shown in
FIG. 4B. The user validation screen 280 contains a message header 282
which optionally contains instructions and other information for the user.
It is appreciated that message header 282 contains instructions to the
user indicating that a key is being forwarded from the user validation
system 310a (FIG. 3A) to the user's known email address. An information
field 284 receives the validation value that is to be entered by the user.
The user is instructed to obtain the key from the user's email account 220
(FIG. 3A) and input that key into information field 284 of the validation
screen 280. The value entered into information field 284 is the user
entered validation value. Once the validation value is entered, a submit
button 286 can be activated by the user to present the validation value to
user validation system 310a. A clear button 288 is optionally provided to
erase an incorrect key entered at field 284. Other messages and/or
internet (e.g., www) addresses can be displayed in optional message field
290. The user is able to exit the validation screen 280 without entering a
key by invoking the exit button 292.
FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary message format of the present invention
validation message that is forwarded from the user validation system 310a
(FIG. 3A), over the email internet application 216 (FIG. 3A), to the
user's known user email address. The validation message format 320 in one
embodiment is a text file and contains a message header 322 indicating the
nature of the message (e.g., validation for the application system 310 of
FIG. 1) and other optional instructions. Importantly, the message format
320 contains the transmitted key in information field 324 for the user. As
discussed further below, the key is pseudo unique to the user ID and the
user's current IP address. The validation message format 320 also contains
an internet address (e.g., in the form of a Uniform Resource Locator or
URL format) within information field 326. The internet address (e.g., URL)
in field 326 specifies the address (e.g., URL) at which the validation
screen 280 (FIG. 4B) is located. The user is instructed to return to this
internet address (e.g., URL) to enter the key of field 324. The user is
also instructed by validation message 320 that the user identification
screen 260 (FIG. 4A) allows direct access to the application system 310
after validation is complete for this current IP address. Other messages
and/or internet (e.g., www) addresses can be displayed in optional message
field 328.
USER VALIDATION PROCEDURE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
FIG. 6 illustrates steps of the user validation procedure 400 of the
present invention operable within the user validation system 310a (FIG.
3A) of the application system 310 (FIG. 1). At step 410, the present
invention responds to a user attempt to enter the application system 310
by displaying the user identification screen 260 (FIG. 4A) to the user
over the www internet application 212 (FIG. 3A) using http. At step 410,
the present invention receives the user's user ID from the user
identification screen 260. At step 415, the present invention verifies the
received user ID based on a method including check bits stored within the
user ID and/or by checking a database of recognized user IDs stored in a
memory unit of the application system 310. At step 420, if the received
user ID is not a valid and/or recognized user ID to the application system
310, process flow is transferred to label "A" (see FIG. 7).
With reference to FIG. 6, if the received user ID is a valid and recognized
user ID, the present invention at step 425 accesses the user's current IP
address over the internet interface 110 (FIG. 1). With respect to one
embodiment of the present invention, the process of obtaining a user's IP
address from the www internet application | | |
