JP2001184310A - User identifying facility - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform user identification based on a one-time password without necessity for each of users to be provided with a special device or software. SOLUTION: A telephone call from a user is terminated and a user identification number is received. This user identification number UN is collated with an identification number registered in a data base and it is discriminated whether this user is a registered user or not. A password P is generated and the telephone call is transmitted only to the user discriminated as a registered user. On the other hand, a password P from the user is received and collated with the generated password P.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user authentication system capable of suitably performing user authentication when accessing a server or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art User authentication when accessing a server or the like is performed by checking a user's account and password. Conventionally, an invariant fixed password is basically adopted as a password for user authentication, and user authentication has been established on the assumption that only the user himself / herself memorizes the fixed password. However, there is no end to incidents in which a person other than himself / herself uses the fixed password obtained by a method such as guessing or theft to impersonate and access the user. Therefore, a method of generating a new one-time password for each authentication has been attempted.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned method using a one-time password, a special device or software for generating a password must be provided not only on the server side but also on the client (user) side. was there.

In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a user authentication facility that can perform user authentication using a one-time password without requiring each user to have a special device or software.

[0005]

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a database (10a) capable of registering user-specific information (I) for a plurality of users.
A telephone communication means (12a) communicable via a telephone line (PL), and a first telephone for instructing the telephone communication means to receive a telephone call from a user and to receive user-specific information transmitted by the user. A communication control unit (12), a registered user judging unit (collated with the user unique information received by the telephone communication means and the user unique information registered in the database to determine whether or not the user is a registered user; 11, 1
3), a password generation unit (16) for generating a password (P), and a password generated by the password generation unit based on the determination result of the registered user determination unit to a user determined as the registered user. A second telephone communication control unit (12) for instructing the telephone communication means to transmit a telephone only to the telephone communication means, and a password receiving means (10) which can receive a password from a user and is provided separately from the telephone communication means. 1) a password collating unit (2) for collating the password generated by the password generating unit with the password received by the password receiving unit.
5).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the user-specific information registered in the database includes a user telephone number (TN), and a caller telephone number is obtained from a call signal received by the telephone communication means. The telephone number analysis unit (12) to be analyzed, and the telephone number analyzed by the telephone number analysis unit is compared with the telephone number in the user-specific information registered in the database, and the registered user telephone number is obtained. A registered telephone number determination unit (11) for determining whether or not
The first telephone communication control unit, based on the search result of the registered telephone number determination unit, only for the call determined to be the registered telephone number, the incoming call from the user and the user It is characterized by instructing the telephone communication means to receive the transmitted user specific information.

Further, the invention according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that the database, the telephone communication means, the first telephone communication control section, the registered user determination section, the password generation section, And a second computer (20A, 20B, 20) having at least one first computer (10) provided with two telephone communication control units, and provided with the password receiving means and the password verification unit.
C), wherein the first and second computers are connected to a network.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a database capable of registering user-specific information including a user telephone number (TN) for a plurality of users, and a user-specific information capable of receiving user-specific information from the user. An information receiving unit (1), a registered user determination unit that compares the user specific information received by the user specific information receiving unit with the user specific information registered in the database and determines whether the user is a registered user Unit (11), a password generation unit (16) for generating a password (P), telephone communication means (12a) communicable via a telephone line, and a user determined to be a registered user by the registered user determination unit. Dials the password generated by the password generator to the user telephone number indicated in the user-specific information of the registered user only A telephone communication control unit (12) for instructing the telephone communication means to transmit a telephone, a password receiving means (1) which can receive a password from a user and is provided separately from the telephone communication means, A password collating unit (25) for collating the password generated by the generating unit with the password received by the password receiving unit is provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first aspect of the present invention, wherein the database, the registered user determination section, the password generation section, the telephone communication means, and the telephone communication control section are provided. And at least one second computer (20A, 20B, 20C) provided with the user unique information receiving means, the password receiving means, and the password collating unit. The first and second computers are connected to a network.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the time measuring unit (2) measures the time after the password is generated.
1) and a password validity judging unit (2) for judging the validity of the password based on the measurement result by the time measuring unit when the password is collated by the password collating unit.
7).

It should be noted that the numbers in parentheses and the like are for convenience showing the corresponding elements in the drawings, and therefore, the present description is not limited to the description on the drawings.

[0012]

As described above, according to the first and fourth aspects of the present invention, a user can receive a one-time password if the user has a telephone which can communicate via a telephone line. Thereby, user authentication can be performed. In other words, the user is not required to have a special device or software, which is convenient.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, a call is received only when a call is made from a registered user telephone number. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the server from being burdened by a prank call or the like.

According to the third and fifth aspects, if at least one first computer is provided, user authentication can be performed on a plurality of second computers, so that the equipment can be simplified and downsized.

According to the present invention, a password which has been issued for a long time after issuance can be invalidated as having expired. As a result, even if a person other than the user steals the password, there is almost no opportunity to use the password, and the security is high.

[0016]

Embodiment 1 Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a user authentication facility, FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an authentication server and a WWW server, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an authentication program.

In the first embodiment, the user authentication equipment is as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a network device 1 (LAN) formed by connecting a plurality of computers to each other via a cable or the like.
Etc.). One of the plurality of computers included in the network equipment 1 is an authentication server 10 and another is a WWW server 20. The network equipment 1 is connected to the Internet IN via a router or the like (not shown). The network equipment 1 may include other servers (not shown) other than those described above.

As shown in FIG. 3, the authentication server 10 includes an authentication program execution unit 100 for executing a predetermined authentication program PR1 (described later) and a database including a large number of user-specific information I stored in a storage device such as a hard disk. A database management unit 11 for managing the communication device 10a; a communication device 12 such as a modem connected to a public line PL (telephone line);
a communication control unit 12 for controlling a
It has an audio data management unit 15, a password generation unit 16, and a network control unit 17 that controls communication with other computers in the network equipment 1.

As shown in FIG. 3, the WWW server 20 includes an authentication program execution unit 200 for executing a predetermined authentication program PR2 (described later), a timer 21 for measuring time,
A network control unit 22 for controlling communication with other computers in the network equipment 1, a data memory 23 for temporarily storing data, a data collation unit 25, and an Internet IN for data stored in the information storage unit 26a. And the like, and an access management unit 26 for managing access via the like, and a revocation determination unit 27.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a user U (only one user is shown in FIG. 1) has a client device 50 which is a computer which can be connected to the Internet IN by an appropriate method such as dial-up, and a public line. And a telephone 55 connectable to the PL. In the present embodiment, the telephone 55 is a portable type.

The user U has the network equipment 1
User registration for has been completed. The user registration is to register the user unique information I on the user U in the database 10a of the authentication server 10. The user specific information I includes at least the user identification number UN and the telephone number TN of the telephone 55 of the user U. In the first embodiment, in addition to these, a name, an address, a mail address (e-mail), and the like are included. It was included.

The user registration may be performed by any method. For example, a user U accesses a homepage provided by the WWW server 20 via the Internet, and the user unique information I (user identification number UN
Is excluded) and transmits to the network equipment 1. The transmitted user specific information I is transmitted to the authentication server 10 in the network equipment 1 and registered in the database 10a. Note that the user identification number UN is automatically determined when performing this database registration, and thus the determined user identification number UN is transmitted to the user U via the Internet or the like.
Is notified. This completes the user registration. It should be noted that the user U receives the user unique information I (user identification number UN
Network equipment 1 by an appropriate method such as mail
May be sent directly to the authentication server 10. Further, the notification of the user identification number UN determined at the time of database registration may be performed by an appropriate method such as mail.

Network equipment 1 as user authentication equipment
Is configured as described above. The network equipment 1
When a user U accesses a site provided by the WWW server 20 that requires authentication in a state where user registration for a plurality of users U has been completed as described above, user authentication is performed as follows. Done.

For example, a user U operating the client device 50 tries to access a site provided by the WWW server 20 which requires authentication via the Internet IN. On the other hand, the WWW server 20 responds to the client device 50 with a predetermined program and requests input of a user identification number UN and a password. In response to this request, the user U makes a telephone call to the authentication server 10 using the telephone 55.

On the other hand, in the authentication server 10, the authentication program PR1 shown in FIG. The above-described call signal from the telephone 55 is transmitted to the communication device 12a. Communication control unit 12
Analyzes the caller telephone number from the call signal transmitted to the communication device 12a (using a known caller number notification system). The database management unit 11 stores the user-specific information I including the analyzed caller telephone number in the database 10.
Then, a search is performed from a (step ST1 in FIG. 4), and the search result is sent to the authentication program execution unit 100.

If the search result is "0" (no matching user specific information I), the authentication program executing unit 100 determines that the call is from an unregistered person (step ST2 in FIG. 4). The incoming call is rejected via the communication control unit 12 (line disconnection in step ST8). Thereby, it is possible to prevent the server from being burdened by a prank call or the like. Conversely, if the search result is "1" (there is matching user specific information I), it is determined that the call is from a regular registrant (step ST2 in FIG. 4), and the communication control unit Incoming call is received via the terminal 12. At the same time, the retrieved user unique information I is passed to the data matching unit 13.

Following the incoming call, the voice data management unit 15
The voice data stored in advance is stored in the telephone 5 of the user U via the public line PL via the communication control unit 12 and the communication device 12a.
5 (step ST3 in FIG. 4). The voice data in this case is, for example, "Please input user identification number from telephone." That is, the announcement prompting the user to enter the user identification number UN.

The user U who hears the announcement inputs the user identification number UN notified at the time of registration via a push button of the telephone 55 or the like. For example, "11254 #"
Enter This input signal is received via the communication device 12a and the communication control unit 12, and transmitted to the data matching unit 13. The data matching unit 13 performs the search (step ST).
The user identification number UN of the user unique information I passed as a result of 1) and the received and transmitted user identification number UN
Are compared (step ST4 in FIG. 4).

If the two do not match as a result of the comparison,
It is determined that the call is unauthorized from a person other than the user U (step ST5 in FIG. 4), and the line is disconnected via the communication control unit 12 (step ST8). Note that, here, a series of steps in which, for example, an announcement urging the user to re-enter the user identification number UN is transmitted without immediately disconnecting the line due to one mismatch, and the re-entered user identification number UN is collated. May be repeated a plurality of times. Conversely, if the result of the comparison is that the user identification numbers UN match, it is determined that the call is from the user U himself (step ST5 in FIG. 4), and the password generation unit 16 is instructed to generate a password.

Upon receiving the password generation command, the password generation unit 16 generates a password P based on an appropriate one-time password generation program (step ST6 in FIG. 4). For example, in this example, it is assumed that a password “28562A” has been generated. When the password P is generated, the voice data management unit 15 modifies the voice data stored in advance based on the generated password P,
The public line P via the communication control unit 12 and the communication device 12a
At L, the message is transmitted to the telephone set 55 of the user U (step ST7 in FIG. 4). The voice data in this case is, for example, "The password is 28562A. Please enter it on the screen. The valid time is 15 seconds." That is, this is an announcement for notifying the generated password P.

When the announcement is completed, the authentication program execution unit 100 disconnects the line via the communication control unit 12 (step ST7 in FIG. 4). At the same time, the authentication program execution unit 100 transmits the password P generated by the password generation unit 16 and the user identification number UN passed to the data verification unit 13 to the WWW server 20 via the network control unit 17. I do.

In the WWW server 20, the authentication program PR2 shown in FIG. Therefore, when the password P and the user identification number UN from the authentication server 10 are received via the network control unit 22, they are stored in the data memory 23 and the timer 21 is instructed to measure time. According to the command, the timer 21 starts measuring time (step ST101 in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the user U who hears the announcement notifying the password P inputs the password P and the user identification number UN via the client device 50 and transmits the password P and the user identification number UN to the WWW server 20 via the Internet IN. The transmitted password P and the user identification number UN are passed to the data collation unit 25, and the data collation unit 25 stores the received password P and the user identification number UN in the password P and the user identification number stored in the data memory 23. It is checked whether it matches with UN (step ST1 in FIG. 4).
02).

If the result of the collation by the data collation unit 13 is a mismatch, it is determined that the access is unauthorized (step ST103 in FIG. 4), and the authentication program execution unit 200
The access denial notice is transmitted to the client device 50 via the Internet IN (step ST10 in FIG. 4).
6). Conversely, as a result of the collation by the data collating unit 13,
If they match, it is determined that the access is from user U (step ST103 in FIG. 4).

If it is determined in step ST103 that the access is from the user U, the revocation determination unit 27 checks the time measured by the timer 21 and determines whether the time has reached 15 seconds. judge. Already 15
If the time is seconds, it is determined that the issued password has expired (step ST104 in FIG. 4), and the authentication program execution unit 200 sends a notice of access denial via the Internet IN to the client device 50. (Step ST106 in FIG. 4). On the contrary, still 15
If the second is not reached, it is determined that the issued password is valid (step ST104 in FIG. 4).

When the validity of the password is confirmed, the authentication program execution unit 200 transmits a notice of access permission to the client device 50 via the Internet IN, and the access management unit 26 gives the client device 50 an access right. Is set, and access to predetermined data in the information storage unit 26a is permitted (step ST10 in FIG. 4).
5). With the above, the user authentication is completed, and the client device 50
Thus, access to a site that requires authentication provided by the WWW server 20 is enabled via the Internet.

As described above, in the first embodiment, a special device or software for generating a password only needs to be provided on the server side (network equipment 1).
The user U (client side) does not need any special device or software as long as he has a telephone. As a result, a convenient user authentication system that does not burden the user is realized.

<Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Since the second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment, common parts will be described with reference to the first embodiment.

In the second embodiment, the same user authentication equipment as that of the network equipment 1 of the first embodiment is employed, and each user U is provided with a client device 50 and a telephone 55 as in the first embodiment. It is assumed that It is also assumed that user registration for a plurality of users U with respect to the network equipment 1 has been completed, as in the first embodiment.

When a user U logs in to a site provided by the WWW server 20 that requires authentication, user authentication is performed as follows. For example, a user U operating the client device 50 tries to access a site provided by the WWW server 20 that requires authentication via the Internet IN. On the other hand, WWW server 2
0 is a predetermined program which responds to the client device 50 and requests input of the user identification number UN. In response to this request, the user U inputs the user identification number UN via the client device 50 and transmits it to the WWW server 20 via the Internet IN. The WWW server 20 transmits the received user identification number UN to the authentication server 10 via the network control unit 22.

On the other hand, in the authentication server 10, the authentication program PR3 shown in FIG. Upon receiving the user identification number UN from the WWW server 20 via the network control unit 17, the authentication program execution unit 100 instructs the database management unit 11 to search for the user unique information I having the user identification number UN, The management unit 11 searches the database 10a based on the command, and sends the search result (the presence or absence of the matching user unique information I) and the searched user unique information I to the data matching unit 13 (step ST201 in FIG. 5).

If the search result is "0" (no matching user specific information I), the data collating unit 13 determines that the access is from an unregistered person (step ST202 in FIG. 5), An access denial signal is transmitted to WWW server 20 via network control unit 17 (step ST206 in FIG. 5). The WWW server 20 having received this transmits a notice of access denial to the client device 50 via the Internet IN. Conversely, if the search result is “1” (there is matching user specific information I), it is determined that the access is from an authorized registrant (step ST202 in FIG. 5), and the password generation unit 16
To generate a password.

The password generator 16 having received the password generation command generates a password P based on an appropriate one-time password generation program (step ST203 in FIG. 5). For example, in this example, it is assumed that a password “28562A” has been generated. When the password P is generated, the authentication program execution unit 100 instructs the communication control unit 12 to dial based on the telephone number TN of the user unique information I sent to the data matching unit 13. Further, the audio data management unit 15 modifies the audio data stored in advance based on the generated password P and sends the modified audio data to the telephone set 55 of the user U via the public line PL via the communication control unit 12 and the communication device 12a. Transmit (Step ST20 in FIG. 5)
4). The voice data in this case is, for example, "The password is 28562A. Please enter it on the screen. The valid time is 15 seconds."

When the announcement is completed, the authentication program execution unit 100 disconnects the line via the communication control unit 12 (step ST205 in FIG. 5). At the same time, the authentication program execution unit 100 transmits the password P generated by the password generation unit 16 to the WWW server 20 via the network control unit 17.

In the WWW server 20, an authentication program PR2 shown in FIG. 4B is activated by the authentication program execution unit 200 as in the first embodiment. Therefore, when the password P from the authentication server 10 is received via the network control unit 22, the password P is stored in the data memory 23 and the timer 21 is instructed to measure time. (Step ST101 in FIG. 4).

On the other hand, the user U who hears the announcement notifying the password P inputs the password P via the client device 50, and enters the WW via the Internet IN.
Send to W server 20. The transmitted password P is passed to the data collating unit 25, and the data collating unit 13 collates the received password P with the password P stored in the data memory 23 (step ST10 in FIG. 4).
2).

If the result of the collation by the data collating unit 13 is a mismatch, it is determined that the access is unauthorized (step ST103 in FIG. 4), and the authentication program execution unit 200
The access denial notice is transmitted to the client device 50 via the Internet IN (step ST10 in FIG. 4).
6). Conversely, as a result of the comparison by the data matching unit 13,
If they match, it is determined that the access is from user U (step ST103 in FIG. 4).

If it is determined in step ST103 that the access is from the user U, the revocation determination unit 27 checks the time measured by the timer 21 and determines whether the time has reached 15 seconds. judge. Already 15
If the time is seconds, it is determined that the issued password has expired (step ST104 in FIG. 4), and the authentication program execution unit 200 sends a notice of access denial via the Internet IN to the client device 50. (Step ST106 in FIG. 4). On the contrary, still 15
If the second is not reached, it is determined that the issued password is valid (step ST104 in FIG. 4).

When the validity of the password is confirmed, the authentication program execution unit 200 transmits a notice of access permission to the client device 50 via the Internet IN, and the access management unit 26 gives the client device 50 an access right. Is set, and access to predetermined data in the information storage unit 26a is permitted (step ST10 in FIG. 4).
5). With the above, the user authentication is completed, and the client device 50
Thus, access to a site that requires authentication provided by the WWW server 20 is enabled via the Internet.

As described above, also in the second embodiment, a special device or software for generating a password may be provided only on the server side (network equipment 1).
The user U (client side) does not need any special device or software as long as he has a telephone. As a result, a convenient user authentication system that does not burden the user is realized.

<Other Embodiments> (1) Utilization of WAN In Embodiment 2 described above, a LAN is used as a user authentication facility.
Although the network equipment 1 is adopted, the network equipment 2 which is a WAN as shown in FIG. 2 can be adopted as another example. For example, in this case, a plurality of W
There are WW servers 20A, 20B, and 20C, each providing a site that requires user authentication. When there is access from the user U, each WWW server 20A, 20B,
20C leaves the generation and notification of the password to the authentication server 10 as in the second embodiment.

With this configuration, a single authentication server 10 can generate and notify a password to a plurality of WWW servers 20A, 20B, and 20C, thereby realizing miniaturization and simplification of equipment. In addition, any connection such as a dedicated line or the Internet may be used between each WWW server and the authentication server.

(2) Other Forms of User Authentication Facility The user authentication facility can be constituted by a single computer in addition to the above-mentioned network facility such as LAN or WAN. For example, the same user authentication as in the first and second embodiments can be performed by one computer having the functions of the entire network facility 1. Further, it is possible to realize the user authentication equipment of the present invention by regarding the network equipment 1 and the client machine 1 as one large computer. For example, the present invention is applied to a case where a user directly logs in using an input device of a host computer.

(3) Analysis of Caller's Phone Number In the first embodiment, the sender number is analyzed to check whether the user is a legitimate user. However, this procedure is omitted, and the user is checked for the user. May be performed only with the user identification number UN input by the user. As a result, it is possible to perform a user authentication procedure using a telephone (for example, a public telephone) other than the registered user telephone number.

(4) Access In each of the above embodiments, user authentication was performed to access a specific site provided by the WWW server. Or user authentication at the time of login to the server itself.

(5) Password In the above embodiments, the valid time of the password P was 15 seconds, but this time is not limited. Further, it is also possible to set a password that expires after being used once (or a specified number of times) without specifying the validity period.

(6) Telephone In the above-described example, the user's telephone 55 is of a portable type. However, a stationary type may be employed. The notification of the password and the like may be realized by voice announcement as in the above-described example, but in the case of a telephone having a character display function, the notification may be performed as a text message. When a text message is used, a pager can be used instead of the telephone (only in the case of the second embodiment).

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an authentication server and a WWW server.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an authentication program.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating another authentication program.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 User authentication equipment (network equipment) 10 First computer (authentication server) 10a Database 12a Telephone communication means (communication device) 20A, 20B, 20C Second computer (WW
W server)

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A database in which user-specific information can be registered for a plurality of users, a telephone communication means capable of communicating via a telephone line, and receiving a call from a user and receiving user-specific information transmitted by the user by telephone. A first telephone communication control unit instructing the telephone communication means, and comparing the user specific information received by the telephone communication means with the user specific information registered in the database, and determining whether the user is a registered user. A registered user determining unit that determines a password, a password generating unit that generates a password, and a password generated by the password generating unit based on a determination result of the registered user determining unit, for a user determined to be the registered user. A second telephone communication control unit that instructs the telephone communication means to transmit a telephone only when receiving a password from a user. Password receiving means provided separately from said telephone communication means, a password generated by the password generating section,
A password verification unit configured to verify a password received by the password receiving unit; 2. The user-specific information registered in the database includes a user telephone number, a telephone number analysis unit that analyzes a caller telephone number from a call signal received by the telephone communication unit, and the telephone number analysis unit. A registered telephone number determining unit that compares the analyzed telephone number with the telephone number in the user-specific information registered in the database, and determines whether or not the registered user telephone number. The first telephone communication control unit, based on a search result of the registered telephone number determination unit, receives a telephone call from a user and transmits a telephone call from the user only to a call determined to be the registered telephone number. 2. The user authentication facility according to claim 1, wherein the telephone communication means is instructed to receive the unique information. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said database, said telephone communication means, said first telephone communication control unit, said registered user determination unit, said password generation unit, and said second telephone communication control unit are provided. At least one first computer
A plurality of second computers provided with the password receiving unit and the password collating unit, wherein the first and second computers are connected to a network. Item 2. User authentication equipment according to Item 1. 4. A database capable of registering user-specific information including a user telephone number for a plurality of users, a user-specific information receiving means capable of freely receiving user-specific information from the user, and receiving by the user-specific information receiving means. A registered user determining unit that determines whether or not the user is a registered user by comparing the registered user specific information with the user specific information registered in the database; a password generating unit that generates a password; A telephone communication means that can freely communicate with the user, a password generated by the password generation unit only for a user determined to be a registered user by the registered user determination unit, a user indicated in the user unique information of the registered user. A telephone communication control unit instructing the telephone communication means to dial a telephone number and transmit a telephone; Word freely receive a password receiving means provided separately from said telephone communication means, a password generated by the password generating section,
A password verification unit configured to verify a password received by the password receiving unit; 5. The database, the registered user determination unit, the password generation unit, the telephone communication unit,
A plurality of second computers each including at least one first computer provided with the telephone communication control unit, and provided with the user unique information receiving unit, the password receiving unit, and the password matching unit; 5. The user authentication facility according to claim 4, wherein the first and second computers are connected to a network. 6. A password measuring unit for measuring a time after the password is generated, and a password validity judging a validity of the password based on a measurement result by the time measuring unit when the password is collated by the password collating unit. The user authentication facility according to claim 1, further comprising: a determination unit.