Systems, apparatus, and methods for verifying a password utilizing commitments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11558374-B2
Application number	US-202117219581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2021
Priority date	Mar 31, 2021
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

Methods that can verify a password utilizing commitments are provided. One method includes receiving from a client device and storing, by a processor, an initial commitment representing a password for a user account without storing the actual password on the apparatus, receiving, from the client device, a subsequent commitment, and verifying that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment. Systems and apparatus that can include, perform, and/or implement the methods are also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a processor of an information handling device; and
a memory configured to store code executable by the processor to:
receive, from a client device, and store an initial commitment representing a password for a user account without storing the actual password on the apparatus,
receive, from the client device, a subsequent commitment, and
verify that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment,
wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each time-based commitments.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each Pedersen time-based commitments.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the initial commitment is represented by a first commitment equation C0=(S0*G+R0*H0), and
the subsequent commitment is represented by a second commitment equation C1=(S1*G+R1*H1),
where,
S0 is a first hashed value of the password,
G is an elliptical generator value for an elliptical curve,
R0 is a first salt value,
H0 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to an initial timestamp value to a point on the elliptical curve,
S1 is a second hashed value of the password,
R1 is a second salt value,
H1 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to a subsequent timestamp value to the point on the elliptical curve.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the password is verified in response to C1−C0=(R1*H1—R0*H0).

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein:
R0 is a first random salt value;
R1 is a second random salt value; and
S0 and S1 are a same hashed value for the password.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:
R0 is a first random salt value;
R1 is a second random salt value; and
S0 and S1 are a same hashed value for the password.

7. A method, comprising:
receiving from a client device and storing, by a processor, an initial commitment representing a password for a user account without storing the actual password on the apparatus;
receiving, from the client device, a subsequent commitment; and
verifying that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment,
wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each time-based commitments.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each Pedersen time-based commitments.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the initial commitment is represented by a first commitment equation C0=(S0*G+R0*H0), and
the subsequent commitment is represented by a second commitment equation C1=(S1*G+R1*H1),
where,
S0 is a first hashed value of the password,
G is an elliptical generator value for an elliptical curve,
R0 is a first salt value,
H0 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to an initial timestamp value to a point on the elliptical curve,
S1 is a second hashed value of the password,
R1 is a second salt value,
H1 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to a subsequent timestamp value to the point on the elliptical curve.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the password is verified in response to C1−C0=(R1*H1−R0*H0).

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
R0 is a first random salt value;
R1 is a second random salt value; and
S0 and S1 are a same hashed value for the password.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein:
R0 is a first random salt value;
R1 is a second random salt value; and
S0 and S1 are a same hashed value for the password.

13. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store code executable by a processor, the executable code comprising code to perform:
receiving from a client device and storing an initial commitment representing a password for a user account without storing the actual password on the apparatus;
receiving, from the client device, a subsequent commitment; and
verifying that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment,
wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each time-based commitments.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment are each Pedersen time-based commitments.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein:
the initial commitment is represented by a first commitment equation C0=(S0*G+R0*H0), and
the subsequent commitment is represented by a second commitment equation C1=(S1*G+R1*H1),
where,
S0 is a first hashed value of the password,
G is an elliptical generator value for an elliptical curve,
R0 is a first salt value,
H0 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to an initial timestamp value to a point on the elliptical curve,
S1 is a second hashed value of the password,
R1 is a second salt value,
H1 is the G elliptical generator value hashed to a subsequent timestamp value to the point on the elliptical curve.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the password is verified in response to C1−C0=(R1*H1—R0*H0).

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein:
R0 is a first random salt value;
R1 is a second random salt value; and
S0 and S1 are a same hashed value for the password.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to utilize a time-based commitment schema to verify that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on the difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment.

19. The method of claim 7 , wherein verifying that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment comprises utilizing a time-based commitment schema to verify that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on the difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment.

20. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the executable code to perform verifying that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on a difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment comprises executable code to perform utilizing a time-based commitment schema to verify that the subsequent commitment represents the password for the user account based on the difference between the initial commitment and the subsequent commitment.

Assignees

• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Stolbikov Igor
• Novak Joshua N
• Li Scott Wentao

Classifications

• H04L63/0846 Primary

  using time-dependent-passwords, e.g. periodically changing passwords · CPC title

• H04L9/3297

  involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps · CPC title

• H04L9/3226

  using a predetermined code, e.g. password, passphrase or PIN (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using passwords in a packet data network H04L63/083) · CPC title

• H04L63/083

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

• H04L9/3066

  involving algebraic varieties, e.g. elliptic or hyper-elliptic curves · CPC title