Abstract: Authentication devices and methods for generating dynamic credentials are disclosed. The authentication devices include a communication interface for communicating with a security device such as a smart card.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding data transmitted acoustically and/or optically to strong authentication tokens to generate dynamic security values are disclosed. The tokens may also include a selection mechanism to select either an acoustical or an optical input interface to receive data. A communication interface may be provided to communicate with a removable security device such as a smart card and the token may be adapted to generate dynamic security values in cooperation with the removable security device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for generating and verifying one time passwords in connection with a risk assessment are disclosed. The risk assessment may comprise a client-side risk assessment. The risk assessment may also comprise a server-side risk assessment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of securing electronic transactions and more specifically to systems to indicate and verify the approval of the risk level of a transaction and to systems for generating transaction risk level approval codes.

Abstract: The present invention defines a strong authentication token for generating different dynamic credentials for different application providers comprising an input interface providing an output representing an application provider indicator; a secret key storage for storing one or more secret keys; a variability source for providing a dynamic variable value; a key providing agent for providing an application provider specific key as a function of said application provider indicator using one or more keys stored in said secret key storage; a cryptographic agent for cryptographically combining said application provider specific key with said dynamic variable value using symmetric cryptography; a transformation agent coupled to said cryptographic agent for transforming an output of said cryptographic agent to produce a dynamic credential; and an output interface to output said dynamic credential.

Abstract: A secure smart card reader is disclosed that is enabled to make reader signatures on data representative of events and actions which may be security related and which may include data representative of reader commands received from a host or remote application, smart card commands exchanged with an inserted smart card, data presented to a user for approval, and/or configuration parameters applied when dealing with any of the foregoing. The smart card reader may be adapted to maintain logs of events and actions which may include exchanging reader commands, exchanging smart card commands, and/or interactions with a user. The logs may include data representative of the reader commands received, the smart card commands exchanged, data presented to the user for approval, and/or configuration parameters applied when dealing with any of the foregoing. The secure smart card reader may be adapted to generate a reader signature over the logs.

Abstract: A handheld authentication device comprising a data processor and a display is adapted to: generate an input value; submit the input value to an asymmetric cryptographic operation; obtain the result of said asymmetric cryptographic operation; generate an authentication message substantially comprising the result of the asymmetric cryptographic operation; encode the authentication message into one or more images; and display these images on the display.

Abstract: The invention defines a digital programmable smart card terminal device and token collectively known as the token device. The token device comprises a field programmable token device which accepts a users smart card. The combination of token device and smart card may then be used for a variety of applications that include user authentication, secure access, encryption. One specific application is that of an electronic wallet. The token device can be used both in connected and unconnected modes.

Abstract: A method of authenticating a user. The method comprises the step of sending an authentication request to a remote authentication device and generating a first piece of authentication information. A mobile device receives the first piece of authentication information from either an access terminal or the remote authentication device. The mobile device of the user generating a second piece of authentication information which is at least partially based on the received first piece of authentication information. The second piece of authentication information is sent to the remote authentication devices and the second piece of authentication information validated. If the second piece of authentication information is successfully validated an authentication signal is generated.

Abstract: Strong authentication tokens for generating dynamic security values having an acoustical input interface for acoustically receiving input data are disclosed. The tokens may also include an optical interface for receiving input data and may have a selection mechanism to select either the acoustical or the optical input interface to receive data. A communication interface may be provided to communicate with a removable security device such as a smart card and the token may be adapted to generate dynamic security values in cooperation with the removable security device. The acoustic signal received by the token may be modulated using a frequency shift keying modulation scheme using a plurality of coding frequencies to code the acoustical signal where each coding frequency may be an integer multiple of a common base frequency.

Abstract: An electronic device, which may be a USB device, includes a body part that is removably connected to a cap. The body part includes a connector for plugging the device into a host computing device. The cap includes a lever part and a main part. The lever part of the cap is attached to the main part and pivots at least partially around a pivot axis. The lever part includes an anchor part on one side of the pivot axis and an unlock part on the other side of the pivot axis. The anchor part includes a hook that engages a cavity in the body part when the cap is connected to the body part. Depressing the unlock part of the cap causes the lever to pivot around the pivot axis thereby disengaging the hook from the first cavity, and thereby releasing the cap from the body part.

Abstract: The invention relates to modulation and demodulation circuits, such as envelope detectors used to demodulate amplitude-modulated (AM) signals. By coupling an analog circuit to a port of a digital component, a compact envelope detector can be obtained, which achieves demodulation of AM signals for direct coupling into a digital input port. Accordingly, a compact envelope detector may be used in the data receiving part of a sealed device requiring post-manufacturing data transfer, in combination with additional components that provide electromagnetic coupling, such as inductive, capacitive, or radiative. An example of such a device is a credit card sized authentication token.

Abstract: A magnetic field verifier apparatus includes a magnetic field detection element configured to produce a voltage signal in response to an applied magnetic field wherein the voltage signal corresponds to the strength of the applied magnetic field. Substantially identical circuit boards or units are connected to a central unit or mother board to place magnetic field detection elements of each board or unit in an mutually approximately orthogonal relationship. A microcontroller is in communication with the voltage signal. The magnetic field verifier apparatus is configurable to sense particular field strengths at various frequencies and store the readings to provide the user with a reliable verification that a particular magnetic field strength has been produced in a particular environment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of securing electronic transactions and more specifically to systems to indicate and verify the approval of the risk level of a transaction and to systems for generating transaction risk level approval codes.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for the secure electronic signing of electronic documents and data. In a preferred embodiment, a method for generating a first digital signature associated with a set of application data is disclosed.

Abstract: Authentication devices and methods for generating dynamic credentials are disclosed. The authentication devices include a communication interface for communicating with a security device such as a smart card.

Abstract: A magnetic field verifier apparatus includes a magnetic field detection element configured to produce a voltage signal in response to an applied magnetic field wherein the voltage signal corresponds to the strength of the applied magnetic field. Substantially identical circuit boards or units are connected to a central unit or mother board to place magnetic field detection elements of each board or unit in an mutually approximately orthogonal relationship. A microcontroller is in communication with the voltage signal. The magnetic field verifier apparatus is configurable to sense particular field strengths at various frequencies and store the readings to provide the user with a reliable verification that a particular magnetic field strength has been produced in a particular environment.

Abstract: Strong authentication tokens for generating dynamic security values having an acoustical input interface for acoustically receiving input data are disclosed. The tokens may also include an optical interface for receiving input data and may have a selection mechanism to select either the acoustical or the optical input interface to receive data. A communication interface may be provided to communicate with a removable security device such as a smart card and the token may be adapted to generate dynamic security values in cooperation with the removable security device. The acoustic signal received by the token may comprise a plurality of modulated carrier frequencies whereby each carrier frequency has been modulated with a data signal representing the full input data such that the input data are redundantly emitted over more than one modulated carrier frequency.

Abstract: The invention provides a method, apparatus, computer readable medium and signal which allows the usage of devices containing PKI private keys such as PKI-enabled smart cards or USB sticks to authenticate users and to sign transactions. The authenticity of the user and/or the message is verified. Furthermore the operation (authentication and/or signing) occurs without the need for an application to have some kind of a direct or indirect digital connection with the device containing the private key. In addition the operation occurs without the need for the PKI-enabled device containing the private key (e.g. a PKI smart card or USB stick) to either support symmetric cryptographic operations or to have been personalized with some secret or confidential data element that can be read by a suitable reader.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of securing electronic transactions and more specifically to methods to indicate and verify the approval of the risk level of a transaction and to apparatuses for generating transaction risk level approval codes. In a method according to the invention transactions are classified into a limited number of categories. A user submitting a transaction to a server is requested to also generate and submit a dynamic transaction category approval code for the submitted transaction. On the server side a corresponding verification value is generated for the received transaction. In an alternative method according to the invention transactions are assigned one of a limited number of risk levels. A user submitting a transaction to a server is requested to also generate and submit a dynamic risk level approval code for the submitted transaction. On the server side a corresponding verification value is generated for the received transaction.