Token-based message authentication

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12519803-B2
Application number	US-202318490421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2023
Priority date	Oct 19, 2023
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

In some implementations, a user device may receive, using a first application of the user device, a message that is purported to be from a source. The message may include, in a content of the message, content data and authenticity data, where the authenticity data includes a token. The user device may determine, using a second application of the user device, whether the message is authentic based on the authenticity data, where the second application is associated with the source. The user device may cause an indication of whether the message is authentic to be presented in a user interface of the user device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system for token-based message authentication, the system comprising:
one or more memories; and one or more processors, communicatively coupled to the one or more memories, configured to:
receive, by a first device and using a first application associated with a messaging service, a message that is purported to be from an entity,
wherein the message includes, in a body of the message, content data and authenticity data,
wherein the authenticity data includes a token and tag data;

transmit, to a second device and using a second application on the first device, an authentication request that includes the authenticity data,
wherein the second application is associated with the entity, and
wherein the second device is associated with the entity;

receive, from the second device and using the second application, an authentication response indicating whether the message is authentic,
wherein the authentication response indicates that the message is authentic if the token matches an authentic token and the tag data satisfies one or more conditions of authenticity; and
cause, based on the authentication response, an indication of whether the message is authentic to be presented in a user interface.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
detect, using the second application, reception of the message; determine, using the second application and based on the content data of the message, that the message is purported to be from the entity; and extract, using the second application and based on a determination that the message is purported to be from the entity, the authenticity data from the content data of the message,
wherein the authentication request includes the authenticity data extracted from the content data of the message.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the message is an email message.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the content data of the message is configured for presentation over a background color, and
wherein the content data is configured for presentation in a contrasting color to the background color and the authenticity data is configured for presentation in the background color.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the message is an audio message for a telephone call.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the content data is configured to be audible for human hearing, and
wherein the authenticity data is configured to be inaudible for human hearing.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the tag data includes at least one of:
a timestamp associated with transmission of the message, location data associated with a sender of the message, or a content code indicating a type of the content data.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, using the second application, a user input identifying at least one of the message or the authenticity data.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is associated with the first application.

10 . A method of token-based message authentication, comprising:
receiving, by a user device and using a first application of the user device, a message that is purported to be from a source,
wherein the first application is associated with a messaging service, and
wherein the message includes, in a body of the message, content data and authenticity data,
wherein the authenticity data includes a token;

transmitting, by the user device, to another device, and using a second application of the user device, an authentication request that includes the authenticity data,
wherein the another device is associated with the source, and
wherein the second application is associated with the source;
determining, based on the authentication request, whether the message is authentic; and causing, by the user device, an indication of whether the message is authentic to be presented in a user interface of the user device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the authenticity data further includes tag data that includes at least one of:
a timestamp associated with transmission of the message, location data associated with a sender of the message, or a content code indicating a type of the content data.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the tag data includes the timestamp, and
wherein determining whether the message is authentic comprises:
determining whether the timestamp corresponds to a time when messages sharing one or more characteristics with the message are supposed to be transmitted.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the tag data includes the location data, and
wherein determining whether the message is authentic comprises:
determining whether the location data corresponds to a location of an authorized sender of messages for the source.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the tag data includes the content code, and
wherein determining whether the message is authentic comprises:
processing the content data using natural language processing to identify whether the content data is of the type indicated by the content code.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second application is an extension or a plugin for the first application.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the first device to:
receive, using a first application on the first device, a message that is purported to be from a source,
wherein the first application is associated with a messaging service, and
wherein the message includes, in a body of the message, content data and authenticity data,
wherein the authenticity data includes a token;

transmit, using a second application on the first device and to a second device, an authentication request that includes the authenticity data,
wherein the second device is associated with the source, and
wherein the second application is associated with the source;

determine, based on the authentication request, whether the message is authentic; and
perform one or more actions based on determining whether the message is authentic.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the first device to perform one or more actions, cause the first device to:
cause an indication of whether the message is authentic to be presented in a user interface.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the first device to perform one or more actions, cause the first device to:
cause, based on a determination that the message is not authentic, the message to be deleted or moved to a quarantine location.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the first device to determine whether the message is authentic, cause the first device to:
transmit, using the second application, an authentication request that includes the authenticity data; and receive, using the second application, an authentication response indicating whether the message is authentic,
wherein the authentication response indicates that the message is authentic if the token matches an authentic token.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the token is

Assignees

• Capital One Services Llc

Inventors

• Wurmfeld David Kelly
• Osborn Kevin

Classifications

• H04L63/1483

  service impersonation, e.g. phishing, pharming or web spoofing (detection of rogue wireless access points H04W12/12) · CPC title

• H04L63/083

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

• H04L63/0807

  using tickets, e.g. Kerberos (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213) · CPC title

• H04L63/123 Primary

  received data contents, e.g. message integrity · CPC title