User-friendly and self-managed challenge-response authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12511368-B2
Application number	US-202418406286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2024
Priority date	Jan 8, 2024
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods for a user-friendly and self-managed CAPTCHA system. Aspects include storing a copy of an image selected from a set of images as a source image. Aspects further include generating a reference image by applying an image obfuscation technique to the image and a challenge image by applying a different image obfuscation technique to the image. Aspects include dividing the challenge image into partitions and placing the partitions randomly on a virtual canvas. Aspects include displaying the reference image and the virtual canvas on a user device requesting to access a protected resource. Aspects include receiving a solution image comprising the partitions of the challenge image arranged by a user from the user device. Aspects also include generating a similarity score by comparing the source image and the solution image. Aspects further include determining that the similarity score is below a threshold value and performing a security action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
storing a copy of an image selected from a set of images as a source image; generating a reference image by applying an image obfuscation technique to the image and a challenge image by applying a different image obfuscation technique to the image; dividing the challenge image into a random number of partitions and placing the partitions randomly on a virtual canvas; displaying both the reference image and the virtual canvas with the partitions of the challenge image on a user device requesting to access a protected resource, such that both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently visible on the user device to a user, wherein both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently displayed to be different from the image; receiving a solution image comprising the partitions of the challenge image arranged by the user from the user device; generating a similarity score by comparing the source image and the solution image; determining that the similarity score is below a threshold value; and performing a security action.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the image obfuscation technique comprises reshaping the image, or cropping the image to carve out one or more portions.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual canvas is larger than the challenge image.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the security action comprises preventing access to the protected resource for the user device or presenting a second reference image and a second challenge image to the user of the user device.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving an indication to select the image from a sub-set of images; selecting the image from the sub-set of images; and updating metadata associated with the image to increase a counter indicating a number of times the image has been displayed.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the set of images comprises images associated with an identified metadata.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
applying an overlay image obfuscation technique on the partitions of the challenge image in the virtual canvas.

8 . A system comprising:
a memory having computer readable instructions; and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
storing a copy of an image selected from a set of images as a source image;
generating a reference image by applying an image obfuscation technique to the image and a challenge image by applying a different image obfuscation technique to the image;
dividing the challenge image into a random number of partitions and placing the partitions randomly on a virtual canvas;
displaying both the reference image and the virtual canvas with the partitions of the challenge image on a user device requesting to access a protected resource, such that both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently visible on the user device to a user, wherein both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently displayed to be different from the image;
receiving a solution image comprising the partitions of the challenge image arranged by the user from the user device;
generating a similarity score by comparing the source image and the solution image;
determining that the similarity score is below a threshold value; and
performing a security action.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the image obfuscation technique comprises reshaping the image, cropping the image, applying 3D rotation and effects on the image, or applying an image filter to the image.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the virtual canvas is larger than the challenge image.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the security action comprises preventing access to the protected resource for the user device or presenting a second reference image and a second challenge image to the user of the user device.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving an indication to select the image from a sub-set of images; selecting the image from the sub-set of images; and updating metadata associated with the image to increase a counter indicating a number of times the image has been displayed.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the set of images comprises images associated with an identified metadata.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
applying an overlay image obfuscation technique on the partitions of the challenge image in the virtual canvas.

15 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
storing a copy of an image selected from a set of images as a source image; generating a reference image by applying an image obfuscation technique to the image and a challenge image by applying a different image obfuscation technique to the image; dividing the challenge image into a random number of partitions and placing the partitions randomly on a virtual canvas; displaying both the reference image and the virtual canvas with the partitions of the challenge image on a user device requesting to access a protected resource, such that both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently visible on the user device to a user, wherein both the reference image and the challenge image are concurrently displayed to be different from the image; receiving a solution image comprising the partitions of the challenge image arranged by the user from the user device; generating a similarity score by comparing the source image and the solution image; determining that the similarity score is below a threshold value; and performing a security action.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the image obfuscation technique comprises reshaping the image, cropping the image, applying 3D rotation and effects on the image, or applying an image filter to the image.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the virtual canvas is larger than the challenge image.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the security action comprises preventing access to the protected resource for the user device or presenting a second reference image and a second challenge image to the user of the user device.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving an indication to select the image from a sub-set of images; selecting the image from the sub-set of images; and updating metadata associated with the image to increase a counter indicating a number of times the image has been displayed.

20 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the set of images comprises images associated with an identified metadata.

Assignees

• Kyndryl Inc

Inventors

• Rodriguez Bravo Cesar Augusto
• Feezell John Richard
• Eckert Kim A
• Campos Batista David Alonso

Classifications

• G06T11/60

  Creating or editing images; Combining images with text · CPC title

• G06F2221/2133

  Verifying human interaction, e.g., Captcha · CPC title

• G06F21/36 Primary

  by graphic or iconic representation · CPC title