Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing a first data object comprising a first set of immutable components, the first data object being associated with a corresponding second data object stored by a remote replication system. A difference is determined between the first set of immutable components of the first data object and a second set of immutable components of the corresponding second data object. A subset of immutable components is identified from the first set of immutable components based on the difference. The subset of immutable components from the first set of immutable components is provided to the remote replication system over a communication network.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing predefined access policies based on auxiliary information embedded in one-time passcode authentication tokens. An exemplary method comprises receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token of a user, wherein the received authentication passcode is derived from a secret seed and based on at least one protocode and embedded auxiliary information; processing the received authentication passcode to extract the embedded auxiliary information from the received authentication passcode, wherein the embedded auxiliary information comprises (i) a silent alarm signal indicating a potential compromise of the token, and (ii) a drifting key signal indicating a current drifting key state of the token, wherein the drifting key signal is processed to detect a cloning of the token; and implementing a predefined access policy (e.g., replace or disable the token of one or more users) based on respective values of the silent alarm signal and the drifting key signal.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for implementing predefined access policies based on auxiliary information embedded in one-time passcode authentication tokens. An exemplary method comprises receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token of a user, wherein the received authentication passcode is derived from a secret seed and based on at least one protocode and embedded auxiliary information; processing the received authentication passcode to extract the embedded auxiliary information from the received authentication passcode, wherein the embedded auxiliary information comprises (i) a silent alarm signal indicating a potential compromise of the token, and (ii) a drifting key signal indicating a current drifting key state of the token, wherein the drifting key signal is processed to detect a cloning of the token; and implementing a predefined access policy (e.g., replace or disable the token of one or more users) based on respective values of the silent alarm signal and the drifting key signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for randomizing state transitions for one-time authentication tokens. A user authentication passcode is generated by determining a generation time within an epoch for initiating computation of the user authentication passcode; initiating computation of the user authentication passcode at the determined generation time; and presenting the user authentication passcode at a presentation time that is de-coupled from the generation time. The generation time occurs, for example, at a random offset from a start of the epoch. A time difference between the presentation time and a completion of the computation of the user authentication passcode comprises, e.g., a uniformly distributed random variable over a range of values having a finite mean value. The epoch optionally comprises pre-computation epochs and a variable number of user authentication passcodes are optionally computed during a given pre-computation epoch.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for controlling user access to a protected resource based on an outcome of a one-time passcode authentication token and one or more predefined access policies. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: providing an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with a user to at least one authentication processing device, wherein the user is attempting to access a protected resource; receiving an authentication outcome from the at least one authentication processing device, the authentication outcome comprising an acceptance outcome of the received authentication passcode and at least one of an acceptance outcome with respect to one or more different signals, such as a silent alarm and an acceptance outcome with respect to a drifting key; and providing access of the user to the protected resource based on the authentication outcome and a predefined access policy. Predefined access policies that are specific to silent alarm alerts and drifting key alerts are also provided.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for security-aware single-server passcode verification for one-time authentication tokens. An exemplary method comprises the steps of: receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with a user, wherein the received authentication passcode is based on at least one protocode and embedded auxiliary information; and processing the received authentication passcode using a single processing device to extract the embedded auxiliary information from the received authentication passcode, wherein the embedded auxiliary information comprises one or more of two different signals, such as a silent alarm signal and a drifting key signal. The single processing device optionally implements software modules of first and second authentication servers. The single processing device optionally comprises one or more sources of pseudorandom information for at least two of an auxiliary channel, a silent alarm and a drifting key.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for using steganography to protect cryptographic information on a mobile device are provided herein. A method includes querying a user to select one or more items of data stored on a computing device to be used in connection with one or more cryptographic actions associated with said computing device, and protecting one or more items of cryptographic information within the one or more selected items of data.

Abstract: Forward-secure one-time authentication tokens are provided with embedded time hints. A token generates a passcode for presentation to an authentication server by determining a current state of the token; generating a user authentication passcode based on the current state, wherein the generated user authentication passcode comprises an embedded time hint; and communicating the generated user authentication passcode to the authentication server. The passcode may be generated with the embedded time hint, for example, each time a user authentication passcode is generated or upon demand when a user authentication passcode is generated. A server processes a user authentication passcode by receiving the user authentication passcode, wherein the received user authentication passcode comprises an embedded time hint; and determining a time interval to search for another user authentication passcode based on the embedded time hint.

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.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for improving resilience to forward clock attacks. A token generates a passcode from a user authentication token for presentation to an authentication server by detecting a forward clock attack; and communicating an indication of the forward clock attack to the authentication server. The generation of the user authentication passcodes is optionally suspended upon detecting the forward clock attack. The detection may be based on a comparison of a current device time of the token and a last used device time during a generation of a user authentication passcode.

Abstract: Multi-server one-time passcode verification is provided for respective high order and low order passcode portions. A user is authenticated by receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with the user; and authenticating the user based on the received authentication passcode using at least a first authentication server and a second authentication server, wherein the first authentication server verifies a high-order portion of the received authentication passcode and wherein the second authentication server verifies a low-order portion of the received authentication passcode. The received authentication passcode is based on, for example, at least two protocodes PR,t and PB,t generated by the token and/or pseudorandom information RA,t. A codebook Ct, based on the pseudorandom information RA,t, can be used to embed additional auxiliary information into the authentication passcode.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for security-aware split-server passcode verification for one-time authentication tokens. An exemplary method comprises receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token; and processing the received authentication passcode using at least a first authentication server and a second authentication server. The received authentication passcode is based on a protocode and/or embedded auxiliary information. The embedded auxiliary information comprising a silent alarm and/or a drifting key is extracted from the received authentication passcode. In another exemplary method, the received authentication passcode is processed using a single processing device to extract the embedded auxiliary information comprising one or more of a silent alarm and a drifting key.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture for adding entropy to key generation on a mobile device are provided herein. A method includes generating a prompt via a computing device interface in connection with an authentication request to access a protected resource associated with the computing device; processing input cryptographic information entered via the computing device interface in response to the prompt against a pre-determined set of cryptographic information, wherein said pre-determined set of cryptographic information comprises one or more input elements and one or more interface manipulation measures associated with the one or more input elements; and resolving the authentication request based on said processing.

Abstract: Multi-server passcode verification is provided for one-time authentication tokens with auxiliary channel compatibility. An exemplary method comprises receiving an authentication passcode generated by a token associated with a user; and processing the received authentication passcode using at least a first authentication server and a second authentication server, wherein the received authentication passcode is based on at least one protocode and embedded auxiliary information and wherein at least one of the first authentication server, the second authentication server and a relying party extract the embedded auxiliary information from the received authentication passcode. The disclosed method can extend an existing multi-server verification process to provide the processing of the received authentication passcode based on the embedded auxiliary information.

Abstract: A recovery mechanism is provided for split-server passcode verification systems. An exemplary server-centric recovery scheme enables the system to respond to authentication attempts even if an authentication server is unavailable. The exemplary server-centric recovery scheme allows a periodic exchange of encrypted partial secret states among the authentication servers. Recovery occurs by allowing the decryption of the encrypted partial secret state that corresponds to the server that is unresponsive. An exemplary token-centric recovery scheme comprises determining that a first authentication server is unavailable; applying an authentication mechanism to a message requesting a token to change to a new split-state mode; and sending the authenticated message to the token.

Abstract: Server methods and apparatus are provided for processing passcodes generated by configurable one-time authentication tokens. An authentication server is configured to process an original passcode generated by a configurable one-time authentication token by configuring the authentication server to have a server configuration that is compatible with a selected configuration of the configurable one-time authentication token; receiving a candidate passcode based on the original passcode generated by the configurable one-time authentication token; and processing the Is candidate passcode based on the server configuration. The selected configuration of the configurable one-time authentication token must always enable a forward-secure pseudorandom number generation feature for the one-time authentication token and at least one additional selected token feature.

Abstract: Configurable one-time authentication tokens are provided with improved resilience to attacks. A one-time authentication token is configured by providing a plurality of token features that may be selectively incorporated into the configurable one-time authentication token, wherein the plurality of token features comprise at least two of the features; obtaining a selection of at least a plurality of the token features: and configuring the one-time authentication token based on the selected token features, wherein the configuration must always enable forward security for the one-time authentication token and at least one additional selected token feature. A configurable one-time authentication token is provided that comprises a plurality of selectable token features that may be selectively incorporated into the configurable one-time authentication token, wherein the configurable one-time authentication token is always configured with the forward security and at least one additional token feature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for signing data transactions using one-time authentication passcodes. User authentication passcodes are generated by generating a time-based user authentication passcode based on a forward-secure pseudorandom number, wherein the generated time-based user authentication passcode is used for authentication of the user; and generating an event-based user authentication passcode based on a forward-secure pseudorandom number, wherein the generated event-based user authentication passcode is used to sign one or more data transactions. The generation of an event-based user authentication passcode can be performed on-demand. The generation of the event-based user authentication passcode can optionally be performed substantially simultaneously with the generation of the time-based user authentication passcode.

Abstract: An RFID enabled mobile device is configured to provide a secure release of RFID information. The RFID enabled mobile device, such as an RFID enabled cellular telephone, includes a set of sensors, such as a camera, one or more accelerometers, a wireless transceiver configured to send and receive data with an Internet device, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The RFID enabled mobile device utilizes sensor attributes or information from one or more sensor of the set of sensors and, based upon the sensor attributes, controls the release of RFID information and/or other authentication data to an RFID interrogation system. In essence, the RFID enabled mobile device leverages from the conventional sensors typically incorporated as part of the mobile device and uses contextual data from its sensors and communication partners to make security decisions regarding the release of RFID information.

Abstract: In one aspect, a first processing device, which may be an authentication token, establishes a shared key through a pairing protocol carried out between the first processing device and a second processing device. The pairing protocol also involves communication between the second processing device and an authentication server. As part of the pairing protocol, the first processing device sends identifying information to the second processing device, and the second processing device utilizes the identifying information to obtain the shared key from the authentication server. The first processing device encrypts authentication information utilizing the shared key, and transmits the encrypted authentication information from the first processing device to the second processing device. The second processing device utilizes the shared key to decrypt the encrypted authentication information.