Multi-level matrix passwords

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10558790-B2
Application number	US-201715609221-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

During a password entry, a matrix is traversed to select a position. The matrix includes several levels, each level in the several levels including at least one position where data can be entered, where a second level in the matrix forms a sub-level of a first level, and where the second level is reachable only from a particular position in the first level. In response to an input, a mode of the selected position is changed such that the position becomes unchangeable and unselectable during a remainder of the password entry. The selected position is encoded in an auth-step. In response to an indication of an end of the password entry, an auth-code is transmitted. The auth-code includes a set of auth-steps, and the set of auth-steps includes the auth-step.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer usable program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage media, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to traverse, during a password entry, a matrix to select a position, wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of levels, each level in the plurality of levels comprising at least one position where data can be entered, wherein a second level in the matrix forms a sub-level of a first level, and wherein the second level is reachable only from a particular position in the first level;
program instructions to change, responsive to an input, a mode of the selected position such that the position becomes unchangeable and unselectable during a remainder of the password entry;
program instructions to encode the selected position in an auth-step; and
program instructions to transmit, responsive to an indication of an end of the password entry, an auth-code, the auth-code comprising a set of auth-steps, the set of auth-steps including the auth-step.

2. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct the auth-code using the set of auth-steps, wherein each auth-step in the set of auth-steps results from a mode change of a different position.

3. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
program instructions to populate the selected position with data provided in an input, wherein the encoding further encodes the data in the auth-step.

4. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct the first level in the matrix, the first level comprising a first set of positions; and
program instructions to construct the second level in the matrix such that a second set of positions at the second level is reachable from the particular position in the first set of positions at the first level.

5. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct a third level, wherein the third level is a sub-level of the second level, wherein the third level comprises a third set of positions, the third set of positions being reachable from a particular position in the second set of positions at the second level.

6. The computer usable program product of claim 5 , wherein the second set of positions and the third set of positions include different numbers of positions.

7. The computer usable program product of claim 4 , wherein the first set of positions and the second set of positions include different numbers of positions.

8. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , wherein the data entered at a selected position in the matrix comprises character data.

9. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

10. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a server data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system.

11. The computer usable program product of claim 1 , wherein the selected position is reached by traversing through a first position at a first level, to reach an n-th position at an m-th level, wherein the m-th level is reachable only via a traversal path that starts at the first position at the first level.

12. A computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more computer-readable memories; and
one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to traverse, during a password entry, a matrix to select a position, wherein the matrix comprises a plurality of levels, each level in the plurality of levels comprising at least one position where data can be entered, wherein a second level in the matrix forms a sub-level of a first level, and wherein the second level is reachable only from a particular position in the first level;
program instructions to change, responsive to an input, a mode of the selected position such that the position becomes unchangeable and unselectable during a remainder of the password entry;
program instructions to encode the selected position in an auth-step; and
program instructions to transmit, responsive to an indication of an end of the password entry, an auth-code, the auth-code comprising a set of auth-steps, the set of auth-steps including the auth-step.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct the auth-code using the set of auth-steps, wherein each auth-step in the set of auth-steps results from a mode change of a different position.

14. The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising:
program instructions to populate the selected position with data provided in an input, wherein the encoding further encodes the data in the auth-step.

15. The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct the first level in the matrix, the first level comprising a first set of positions; and
program instructions to construct the second level in the matrix such that a second set of positions at the second level is reachable from the particular position in the first set of positions at the first level.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , further comprising:
program instructions to construct a third level, wherein the third level is a sub-level of the second level, wherein the third level comprises a third set of positions, the third set of positions being reachable from a particular position in the second set of positions at the second level.

17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the second set of positions and the third set of positions include different numbers of positions.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the first set of positions and the second set of positions include different numbers of positions.

19. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the data entered at a selected position in the matrix comprises character data.

20. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the computer usable code is stored in a computer readable storage device in a data processing system, and wherein the computer usable code is transferred over a network from a remote data processing system.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Kline Eric V
• Maresh Mark E
• Nolan Colm
• Vargas Juan F
• Vasudevan Cheranellore
• Whitney Michael J

Classifications

• G06F17/16

  Matrix or vector computation {, e.g. matrix-matrix or matrix-vector multiplication, matrix factorization (matrix transposition G06F7/78)} · CPC title

• H04L63/083

  using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226) · CPC title

• G06F21/31 Primary

  User authentication · CPC title