Queue management and load shedding for complex authentication schemes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10652225-B2
Application number	US-201514748266-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

Using a stochastic queuing model to determine adjustments to be made to authentication system operation. In light of operational parameter values and the stochastic queuing model, a determination is made that adjusting the value of a particular parameter for handling authentication requests is likely to improve some aspect of system performance, and the request handling parameter is adjusted accordingly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
performing, by a hardware processor, operations of a pre-authentication process comprising:
obtaining a stochastic queuing model of a computerized system for authenticating users, a set of preferences for handling authentication requests, and a set of operational parameter values, wherein the stochastic queuing model includes two or more classes of users, a queue for each class of users, and quantifies an overall authentication delay of the computerized system for authenticating users;
determining, based at least in part on the model and the operational values, that adjusting an authentication scheme will improve a probable degree to which the authentication system will meet the set of preferences;
responsive to the determination that adjusting the authentication scheme will improve the probable degree to which the system for authenticating users will meet the set of preferences, adjusting the authentication scheme of the computerized system for authenticating users; and
performing, by the hardware processor, an authentication based on authentication scheme determined by the pre-authentication process.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining comprises generating the stochastic queuing model of the computerized authentication system.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of preferences includes information related to at least one of the following: authentication method confidence, authentication method usability, or authentication method cost.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the authentication scheme comprises adjusting a value of a first request handling parameter by adjusting at least one of: request service type, request service timing, or request processing resources.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein:
the first request handling parameter relates to request service type; and
the adjustment of the first request handling parameter includes replacing a first authentication method with a second authentication method.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein:
the set of preferences includes information related to authentication method usability; and
the authentication method usability information includes a maximum acceptable authentication request service delay.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the stochastic queuing model includes stochastically modeling authentication request arrival rates for multiple classes of authentication requests.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the stochastic queuing model includes stochastically modeling service request delays for multiple authentication service types.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of operational parameter values relate to at least one of system context and user context.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of operational parameter values includes value(s) for at least one of: user historical access patterns, authentication system load, network delays, user device location, authentication queue processing history, estimated arrival rates of authentication requests, and risk associated with making an erroneous authentication decision.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the authentication scheme includes adjusting a value of a first request handling parameter by applying load shedding to a first authentication request.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the load shedding includes presenting a passive authentication challenge for the first authentication request to a point in time that precedes the first authentication request.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:
the load shedding includes replacing a first set of authentication challenges with a second set of authentication challenges; and
the first set of authentication challenges contains at least one challenge not in the second set of authentication challenges.

14. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a non- transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon:
instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium for a hardware processor to perform a pre-authentication process that includes:
instructions executable by a device to cause the device to obtain a stochastic queuing model of a computerized system for authenticating users, a set of preferences for handling authentication requests, and a set of operational parameter values, wherein the stochastic queuing model includes two or more classes of users, a queue for each class of user, and quantifies an overall authentication delay of the computerized system for authenticating users;
instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine, based at least in part on the model and the operational values, that adjusting an authentication scheme will improve a probable degree to which the authentication system will meet the set of preferences;
instructions executable by a device to cause the device to adjust, responsive to the determination that adjusting the authentication scheme will improve the probable degree to which the system for authenticating users will meet the set of preferences, the authentication scheme of the computerized system for authenticating users; and
instructions stored on the computer readable storage medium for the hardware processor to perform an authentication based on the authentication scheme determined by the pre- authentication process.

15. The non-transitory computer program product of claim 14 wherein the stochastic queuing model includes stochastically modeling authentication request arrival rates for multiple classes of authentication requests and service request delays for multiple authentication service types.

16. The non-transitory computer program product of claim, 14 wherein adjusting the authentication scheme includes adjusting a value of a first request handling parameter by applying load shedding to a first authentication request.

17. A computer system comprising:
a hardware processor(s) set; and
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium;
wherein:
the processor set is structured, located, connected or programmed to execute instructions for a pre-authentication process stored on the computer readable storage medium,
the instructions including:
instructions executable by a device to obtain a stochastic queuing model of a computerized system for authenticating users, a set of preferences for handling authentication requests, and a set of operational parameter values, wherein the stochastic queuing model includes two or more classes of users, a queue for each class of user, and quantifies an overall authentication delay of the computerized system for authenticating users;
instructions executable by a device to cause the device to determine, based at least in part on the model and the operational values, that adjusting an authentication scheme will improve a probable degree to which the authentication system will meet the set of preferences;
instructions executable by a device to cause the device to adjust, responsive to the determination that adjusting the authentication scheme will improve the probable degree to which the system for authenticating users will meet the set of preferences, the authentication scheme of the computerized system for authenticating users; and
the processor set is structured, located, connected or programmed to execute instructions for an authentication based on the authentication scheme determined by the pre-authentication process.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein obtaining the stochastic queuing model comprises generating the stochastic queuing model.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Koved Lawrence
• Zhang Bo

Classifications

• H04L63/105

  Multiple levels of security · CPC title

• H04L63/08 Primary

  for authentication of entities (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32) · CPC title

• H04L9/32

  including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system {or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials} · CPC title

• H04L63/20

  for managing network security; network security policies in general (filtering policies H04L63/0227) · CPC title

• H04W12/06

  Authentication · CPC title