Recovery mechanism for fault-tolerant split-server passcode verification of one-time authentication tokens

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9749314-B1
Application number	US-201615097773-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Jun 30, 2014
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A recovery mechanism is provided for split-server passcode verification systems. An exemplary token-centric recovery scheme comprises at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, comprises the steps of: determining that a first one of the plurality of authentication servers is unavailable; applying an authentication mechanism to a message requesting the token to change to a new split-state mode; and sending the authenticated message to the token. The authentication mechanism comprises, for example, a relying party signing the message using a next passcode of the new split-state mode. The new split-state mode comprises, for example, a single server passcode verification and wherein the next passcode of the new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of the single server. A client optionally changes to the new split-state mode after successfully verifying the authentication mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A recovery method for a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said recovery method comprising:
determining, using at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;
generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and
sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “aliveness” message to at least one other server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said applying step is responsive to said determination that the first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable.

8. An apparatus of a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said apparatus comprising:
a memory; and
at least one processing device, coupled to the memory, operative to implement the following steps:
determining, using said at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;
generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and
sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split-state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “aliveness” message to at least one other server.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said applying step is responsive to said determination that the first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable.

15. An article of manufacture for a split-server passcode verification system comprising at least one token and a plurality of authentication servers, said article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
determining, using at least one processing device, that a first one of said plurality of authentication servers is unavailable;
generating an authenticated message by applying, using said at least one processing device, an authentication mechanism to a message requesting said token to change to a new split-state mode, wherein said new split-state mode modifies one or more computations used to compute a next passcode and wherein said authentication mechanism comprises signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode; and
sending, using said at least one processing device, said authenticated message to said token.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein said authentication mechanism comprises a relying party signing said message using said next passcode of said new split-state mode.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein said new split-state mode comprises a single server passcode verification and wherein said next passcode of said new split state mode comprises a next passcode of said single server.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein a client changes to said new split-state mode after successfully verifying said authentication mechanism.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server provide an “aliveness” message to at least one other server.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein said first authentication server and a second authentication server exchange an encrypted version of a respective secret key used to protect a partial secret state.

Assignees

• Emc Ip Holding Co Llc

Inventors

• Triandopoulos Nikolaos
• Brainard John

Classifications

• H04L63/0838 Primary

  using one-time-passwords · CPC title

• H04L63/061

  for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838) · CPC title

• H04L9/085

  Secret sharing or secret splitting, e.g. threshold schemes · CPC title

• H04L9/3234

  involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token (network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853) · CPC title

• H04L9/0894

  Escrow, recovery or storing of secret information, e.g. secret key escrow or cryptographic key storage · CPC title