U.S. patent application number 13/740686 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-10 for method and system for providing user access to a secure application.
The applicant listed for this patent is ACTIVIDENTITY (AUSTRALIA) PTY, LTD.. Invention is credited to John Boyer, John F. Clark, Timothy Dingwall, Jason Hart, Matthew Herscovitch.
Application Number | 20130269018 13/740686 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36847832 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130269018 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dingwall; Timothy ; et
al. |
October 10, 2013 |
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING USER ACCESS TO A SECURE
APPLICATION
Abstract
Providing remote user access to secure financial applications
includes deployment of SSO software to client workstations by
receiving a password for collaborating access to a secure server,
navigating to the secure server using a web browser on a remote
workstation, providing user authorization details and the received
password to the secure server, generating a subsequent password at
the secure server upon validation of the user authorization details
and received password, and downloading an SSO deployment file to
the remote workstation. The deployment file includes a subsequent
password. The SSO deployment file is executed to install an SSO
client application on the remote workstation. Workstation settings
and user credentials are read from a secure file or data store. The
SSO client application is run on the workstation to employ the user
credentials and subsequent password to logon to the secure
application.
Inventors: |
Dingwall; Timothy;
(Wannlassa, AU) ; Herscovitch; Matthew; (Chapman
ACT, AU) ; Hart; Jason; (Fremont, CA) ; Clark;
John F.; (Orem, UT) ; Boyer; John; (Otttawa,
CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
ACTIVIDENTITY (AUSTRALIA) PTY, LTD. |
DEAKIN |
|
AU |
|
|
Family ID: |
36847832 |
Appl. No.: |
13/740686 |
Filed: |
January 14, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11523344 |
Sep 19, 2006 |
8381271 |
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13740686 |
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11384634 |
Mar 20, 2006 |
8214887 |
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11523344 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/8 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 21/34 20130101;
G06F 21/6218 20130101; G06F 21/41 20130101; H04L 63/0815
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
726/8 |
International
Class: |
H04L 29/06 20060101
H04L029/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2005 |
AU |
2005901377 |
Claims
1.-22. (canceled)
23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing
software modules that provide remote user access to a secure
application, the software modules comprising executable code that
is executable to: receive a password for collaborating access to a
secure server; receive a subsequent password from the secure server
upon validation of user authorization details and the received
password; execute an SSO deployment file that includes the
subsequent password to install an SSO client application; and run
the SSO client application to logon to the secure application with
user credentials.
24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein the SSO client application facilitates reduced or single
sign on type remote access to a plurality of secure
applications.
25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein user credentials may take the form of identifiers,
passwords, pass phrases, certificates, encryption, signing and
authentication key pairs or keys, and Kerberos tickets.
26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein the user credentials are secured in a local file by user
authorization details.
27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein installing the SSO client application is undertaken
dynamically to deliver client application functionality based on at
least one of: client location and user credentials.
28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein the user credentials are consolidated, encrypted and stored
in a secure file or data store.
29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein the user authorization details are encrypted and stored on
a web server.
30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 23
wherein the SSO client application is adapted to intercept and
respond to authentication requests issued by the secure
application, including requests issued by at least one of:
mainframe applications, web sites, Java applications, Unix
applications and Windows applications.
31. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according
to claim 23 wherein the password is received from an external
source.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to provision of user access to
a secure application, particularly although not exclusively,
providing a remote user with secure access to authentication
credentials required for reduced or single sign-on services to
applications. The invention also relates to the convenient storage
and management of such user credentials.
[0002] The present invention has particular, although not exclusive
use in providing a remote user with secure access to Internet-based
financial services.
DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND ART
[0003] Authenticating the identity of customer information is of
paramount importance in Internet-based financial services and
banking industries. The Internet has provided users with access to
real-time electronic transactions, transferring funds between
linked accounts or to other parties. However, such global access
leaves systems susceptible to fraud and identity theft.
[0004] There are a number of ways financial institutions employ
customer authentication for access to Internet-based services. For
example, a simple user name and password/PIN are entered into a
front-end interface. More recently, technologies such as digital
certificates, smart cards and one-time passwords have been used to
add security levels to authentication techniques.
[0005] Single factor authentication acting as the only control
mechanism for high risk transactions is considered inadequate. It
is desired for Internet-based financial services to provide
effective and reliable methods of authentication to safeguard
customer information.
[0006] Financial services may involve a number of applications
available to the user, spread over a number of controlling
departments. For example, credit services may be distinct from
investment services and employ different application environments.
Accordingly, a level of convenience for the user is required to
access multiple applications, while providing a suitable level of
security corresponding to the risk of desired transactions.
[0007] Reduced or single sign-on (SSO) services have been developed
to manage authentication of users wishing to access secure
applications. SSO services provide the advantage of a single
authentication to allow a user to gain access to multiple
resources. One example of an SSO service is discussed in US Patent
Publication No. 2004/0163087 assigned to the present applicant.
[0008] In one form of SSO system there is included a client
application installed on a user workstation. Such an application is
conventionally installed, whether from local portable storage media
or over a secure network connection to a local network server, by
adding a persistent program to the menu of applications programs
accessible by the workstation's operating system.
[0009] However, security issues are a concern for SSO services.
Some organisations are disinclined to distribute single sign-on
client applications for installation on a remote user work station
in an uncontrolled environment. A home office computing
environment, for example, may not be as well protected from
external security threats as an office workstation coupled to a
fire-walled corporate network. A highly mobile user may further
wish to have a reduced or single sign-on capability from a communal
computer work station, such as provided in a hotel business centre
or Internet cafe. Installation of persistent client applications on
a communal or shared work station is generally not possible or at
least highly undesirable.
[0010] In an alternative arrangement, a web browser application can
be used to access a financial services web site when the
workstation is coupled to the Internet. Where the web site
incorporates a web portal provided by a back-end portal server, the
portal can display information to the user in a consolidated form.
The portal server can achieve this by authenticating the user to
the secure application on behalf of the user. Thus the single
sign-on process occurs between the back-end server and the secure
application. However, this arrangement does not address the issue
of providing initial secure access to the portal server via the
user's web browser application, and still only provides a
single-factor authentication process.
[0011] Some prior SSO systems, not necessarily adapted for
authentication with Internet-based financial services, are
described below.
[0012] The disclosure in US 2003/0105981 (Miller et al.) is
concerned with a single sign on system, wherein credentials from a
first computer system are placed on a client and used by a second
computer system to effectively impersonate the client to the first
system for validation purposes. When the first system confirms the
validity of the credentials, the second system uses that validation
to grant access to the client machine. In one embodiment discussed
in Miller, the first system is a central logon server and the
second system is a target application server that relies on a token
generated by the first system. Miller requires that the client
machine provide a service-independent credential/token to the
target application system. However, the credential/token is not
related to the application credentials rather it is associated with
another trusted system, requiring the second system to communicate
with the first system to validate the credential/token.
[0013] In a manner similar to web portal single sign-on service
terminal server configurations, such as Microsoft Terminal
Server.TM. and Citrix Metaframe.TM. or equivalents, many existing
SSO solutions run on the terminal server rather than on a remote
workstation. Because of this configuration, these solutions are
limited to providing SSO services to applications running in the
terminal server environment and do nothing to provide SSO to
applications run on the user's workstation.
[0014] The disclosure in US 2004/0003081 (Microsoft) is concerned
with a single sign on system, wherein a single sign on server
receives a request from the client's credentials from a computer
program, determines whether the client's credentials are stored in
a database, and sends the client's credentials from the database to
the computer program. The Microsoft arrangement requires the single
sign on server to present the client credentials authorizing access
to the application to the target computer program directly, wherein
the SSO engine is on the server rather than the client machine.
[0015] The disclosure in US 2004/0250118 (IBM) is concerned with an
access portal server that provides a front-end to a set of target
applications, providing a single point of authentication for all of
the target applications. The access portal server incorporates an
SSO engine that provides application credentials to a target
application after the target application is selected, and then
transfers the authenticated target application session from the
access server to the client machine. The IBM arrangement requires
the access server to present the application credentials to the
target application directly where, again, the SSO engine is on the
server instead of on the client machine.
[0016] A further problem with SSO solutions exists when credentials
for accessing secure applications hosted by backend systems must be
reset or changed. Ordinarily the reset or change of credentials
involves going into the normal interface for the backend system;
resetting/changing the password or other credentials; accessing the
SSO interface and setting the new credential in SSO. However, this
procedure is both time consuming and error prone.
[0017] The disclosure in US 2003/0188193 (IBM) is concerned with a
single sign on system, wherein credentials from a first system are
placed on a client and used by a second system to impersonate the
client to the first system. When the first system confirms the
validity of the credentials the second system uses that validation
to grant access to the client. In one described embodiment
utilizing Kerberos authentication, the first system is a central
logon server and the second system is a target application server
that relies on a token generated by the first system. This
arrangement requires the client to provide a service-independent
credential/token to the target application system, limiting the
invention to when the credential/token is not related to the
application credentials themselves but is associated with another
trusted system, and further limiting the invention to when the
second system communicates to the first system to validate the
credential/token.
[0018] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not,
and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of
suggestion that the referenced prior art forms part of the common
general knowledge in Australia.
[0019] The present invention advantageously provides an alternative
to existing arrangements for providing remote secure access to
Internet-based financial services. The system and method according
to certain embodiments of the present invention may advantageously
be used to address at least some of the drawbacks of prior services
of the background art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In one broad form, the present invention resides in a method
for providing remote user access to secure financial applications
by deployment of SSO software to client workstations, said method
including the steps of:
[0021] receiving a password for collaborating access to a secure
server;
[0022] navigating to the secure server using a web browser on a
remote workstation;
[0023] providing user authorisation details and the received
password to the secure server;
[0024] generating a subsequent password at the secure server upon
validation of the user authorisation details and received
password;
[0025] downloading an SSO deployment file to the remote
workstation, said deployment file including the subsequent
password;
[0026] executing the SSO deployment file to install an SSO client
application on the remote workstation;
[0027] reading workstation settings and user credentials from a
secure file or data store; and
[0028] running the SSO client application on the workstation to
employ the user credentials and subsequent password to logon to the
secure application.
[0029] Most preferably in the case of a shared workstation, the
method includes a further step of uninstalling the SSO client
application when the web browser application is terminated, the
user logs off from a current session or the client workstation is
re-started. Alternatively in the case of a single user workstation,
the SSO client application starts automatically without the need
for re-entry of user credentials.
[0030] Suitably, the SSO client facilitates reduced or single sign
on type remote access to a plurality of secure applications.
[0031] The secure file for user credentials may be stored on the
user workstation, on the web server and/or on a secure third party
server. The secure file may take the form of an LDAP directory
entry, an ordinary file on a local or remote file system, a file on
a portable storage device (such as a USB drive), a token or a smart
card. The user credentials may take the form of identifiers;
passwords, including one-time passwords (OTP); pass phrases;
certificates; encryption, signing and authentication key pairs or
keys; Kerberos tickets; any other authentication or authorisation
data. In one particularly preferred form, the user credentials are
secured in a local file by the user authorisation details, such as
an initial username and password.
[0032] The step of installing the SSO client application may be
undertaken dynamically to deliver client application functionality
based on client location and/or user credentials.
[0033] Preferably the present method includes the precursor step of
consolidating, encrypting and storing user credentials in the
secure file or data store. Suitably user authorisation details are
encrypted and stored on the web server.
[0034] The SSO application is suitably adapted to intercept and
respond to authentication requests issued by the secure
application, preferably including requests issued by mainframe
applications, web sites, Java applications, Unix applications
and/or Windows applications.
[0035] In the event that a secure application prompts user
credentials to be changed, the SSO application is preferably
further adapted to:
[0036] intercept such application prompts;
[0037] ask the user for the changed credentials or automatically
generate changed user credentials;
[0038] validate that the changed credentials meet the secure
application's requirements;
[0039] enter the changed credentials into the application prompt
that was intercepted; and
[0040] encrypt and send the changed credentials to the secure file
or datastore.
[0041] If required, changes to the SSO datastore may be monitored
and transferred to an authentication database of the secure
application.
[0042] Preferably, the password is received from an external
source.
[0043] In another broad form, the invention resides in a system for
providing remote user access to secure financial applications, said
system including:
[0044] a secure server coupled to a publicly accessible global
communications network, said secure server having a single sign-on
(SSO) service module, an SSO deployment file and associated user
authorisation details;
[0045] at least one remote workstation having a web browser for
navigating to the secure server via the publicly accessible global
communications network; and
[0046] wherein the SSO deployment file includes instructions for
execution on a plurality of processors for performing the above
described method.
[0047] The SSO service module preferably effects initial user
authentication and thereafter manages download of the SSO
deployment file for execution on said at least one remote
workstation.
[0048] The SSO deployment file suitably includes a management
control program for controlling download from the secure server and
installation of an SSO client application on said at least one
workstation.
[0049] The SSO client application, once installed, can provide
sign-on and user credential caching in relation to said secure
application for the user at said remote workstation.
[0050] In still another broad form, the invention further includes
a sub-system for reverse synchronisation of user credentials
required to access secure financial applications for a server
managing an SSO datastore accessible by a plurality of remote
workstations, said sub-system including:
[0051] an SSO datastore monitor server coupled to the server for
monitoring changes to user credentials in the SSO datastore;
and
[0052] upon changes being effected to user credentials for a secure
financial application, said SSO datastore monitor server is adapted
to: connect to a respective back-end system hosting said secure
financial application, and
[0053] modify the corresponding user credentials held in an
authentication database for the secure financial application on the
back-end system.
BRIEF DETAILS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] In order that this invention may be more readily understood
and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the
accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the
invention, and wherein:
[0055] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main software modules
utilised by a first embodiment of the invention;
[0056] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of
interfaces amongst the software modules which allow communications
between a web server and a client workstation of the first
embodiment;
[0057] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting the sequence of the
communications between respective modules of the first
embodiment;
[0058] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing components of a second
embodiment of the invention in one configuration;
[0059] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 4 in a
further configuration; and
[0060] FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a system of a third
embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0061] In the following discussion and in the claims that follow,
the term "including" and "includes" are used, and are to be read,
in an open-ended fashion, and should be interpreted to mean
"including, but not limited to . . . ".
[0062] In FIG. 1 there is shown a web server 110 which is coupled
to an exemplary client PC or workstation 120 via a publicly
accessible global communications network, such as the Internet. The
web server 110 and the client workstation 120 constitute the
operational environment 100 of a first embodiment of the method of
the invention. The method of the first embodiment utilises a number
of software modules, including an "EspreSSO" single sign-on (SSO)
service module 112 resident on the web server 110, together with an
"EspreSSO" deployment file (EDF) module 122, a conventional web
browser 124 and an SSO client module 126, each deployed to or, in
the case of the browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.TM.,
resident on the workstation 120. The deployment file module 122
further includes a management control program (MCP) sub-module
123.
[0063] The function of each of the modules will now be described
briefly. The SSO service module 112 is responsible for initial user
authentication, client download and configuration information
management. In the present embodiment, the service is constituted
by a Java Servlet responding to HTTP requests sent over SSL.
However, a wide range of alternative technologies may be utilised
for implementation of the service module functions, as desired.
[0064] The deployment file module 122 is responsible for executing
native code within the web browser and ensuring the integrity of
that native code, suitably using digital signatures. In the present
embodiment, the deployment file is implemented using CAB/ICD for
Internet Explorer, although other embodiments may employ XPI for
Mozilla's "Firefox" browser. Furthermore other mechanisms for
ensuring integrity of the executable native code may be employed in
the alternative.
[0065] The MCP sub-module provided with the deployment file is
responsible for controlling download of the SSO client 126. The MCP
sub-module provides a local web server function which executes
within the user's security context and employs a bootstrap
configuration. This insulates the client SSO application from the
configuration mechanism and allows a portable storage device, such
as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive solution. The MCP sub-module
may be implemented in the embodiment using a Microsoft Windows
executable file.
[0066] The browser module 124 is responsible for downloading and
executing the deployment file 122, providing a user interface for
the local web server and for the SSO service. The browser may be
Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox or another compatible web
browser.
[0067] The SSO client 126 is responsible for providing the sign-on
and handling lifetime management and user credential caching. A
configuration interface is provided specifically for this purpose,
as will be described further below.
[0068] The operation of each of the modules of the embodiment will
now be described in further detail below:
SSO Service
[0069] The primary responsibility of the SSO service module is to
facilitate the download of the deployment file 122 to the client
workstation 120 from the web server 110. To do this the service
module 112 generates an HTML user interface readable by the web
browser 124 and from which the user can start the download. The
second responsibility of the SSO service is to authenticate the
user of the client workstation 120. This involves presenting a
log-on form in the HTML user interface, requesting the user provide
authentication details. The authentication details include an
initial password received via an external source (over a telephone
as a voice communication, for example), as well as known personal
details such as a PIN or password.
[0070] The SSO service module 112 generates a subsequent password
in the form of a new set of OTP keys, for example, and sets the
subsequent password on the web server once the authentication
procedure described above is complete. The service module also
places the subsequent password in the deployment file. The
subsequent password may involve a number of passwords.
[0071] Once the authentication and generation of the subsequent
password is completed, the download of the SSO deployment file 122
may begin.
[0072] The last and more complex area of responsibility for the SSO
service module 112 is the storage and retrieval of SSO
configuration data. The simplest part of this is a bootstrap
configuration document that instructs the SSO client 126 as to
which data store mode it should run in, and the servers with which
it should connect. The more complex part of this procedure is to
allow the secure retrieval by the client of the authentication
details entered into the log-on form.
[0073] It is recognised that there are a large number of competing
technologies available for creating web applications such as the
SSO service module, including Java Servlets, .Net server and
CGI/mod_perl solutions. However, the present embodiment described
herein utilises Java Servlet technology in view of the applicant's
successful implementation of earlier related products, including
the SSO service discussed above in the background art. Furthermore
the applicant has access to suitable data store interface libraries
written in Java and is aware that Java Servlet containers are
available on a wide range of Microsoft and non-Microsoft computing
platforms.
SSO Deployment File
[0074] The SSO deployment file module 122 is a group of Windows
binary files packaged such that they can be securely downloaded
from a web site and then executed by the web browser as a normal
Windows application. From the perspective of client workstation
security, this is clearly a very dangerous operation, hence web
browsers typically employ digital certificates and other security
mechanisms to ensure that only trusted binaries are installed and
executed.
[0075] The EspreSSO deployment file (EDF) module will contain only
the binary files required for starting the MCP, as well as the
subsequent password generated by the service module. The EDF can be
viewed as a means of downloading and running the MCP in a secure
fashion without user intervention.
[0076] The present embodiment of the invention happens to target
Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) browsers. IE includes several
technologies that can be used to create an EDF, including the
Microsoft's Internet Component Download (ICD) technology. Another
option is use of a signed Java package which may become more viable
as the support for Java within IE improves.
[0077] ICD is a technology design to allow the secure download and
execution of ActiveX controls in a web browser by wrapping all of
its components in CAB files, which files can then be signed. If a
CAB file is signed with a certified software publisher certificate,
the user is still prompted to accept the download, but the screen
says that the CAB file can be trusted.
[0078] However ICD is not without some drawbacks, including the way
in which some systems administrators are restricting IE
functionality. ActiveX controls have worried administrators since
their introduction on security grounds, as they allow execution of
code on a client machine. To address these concerns, technologies
such as Java and .Net have arisen which provide similar
functionality to ActiveX, but which restrict the activities of
these components to a safe "sand box". In response, many
administrators have turned off the ActiveX functionality in their
browsers, a move which then prevents ICD execution.
[0079] While posing a problem for the ICD EDF format of the
embodiment, the .Net platform still provides mechanisms which can
be used to achieve similar functionality. The .Net Smart Client
Model allows for the secure download of .Net executables in an
alternative embodiment of the invention.
[0080] The applicants are cognisant that Internet Explorer is not
the only web browser in widespread use. Mozilla's "Firefox" browser
is growing in popularity, and hence a different EDF format will be
developed for it. Fortunately, Firefox includes an extension
download mechanism that support signing and automatic download in a
similar fashion to ICD. The system, called XPInstall (XPI), is used
throughout the browser itself, and is relatively simple to use.
Management Control Program
[0081] The MCP 126 is responsible for controlling the SSO client
download and operation. When started from the EDF module 122, the
MCP's first responsibility is to download other required
components, such as additional executable files and dynamic link
libraries (DLLs). This is done from the MCP and not the EDF for two
reasons. First, the less that is packaged in the EDF the easier it
will be to create EDFs for different browsers (eg. for Firefox as
foreshadowed above), and secondly it allows the download of exactly
those components that are required without a large number of files
within the EDF.
[0082] Once all of the required components are downloaded, the
MCP's task is to correctly configure the SSO client 126 and start
it. To do this the MCP downloads configuration information from the
SSO Service 112, and uses this to setup the SSO client 126 so that
it will start automatically without user intervention. The MCP
collaborates the subsequent password from the server and applies it
to the SSO client.
[0083] If the user entered lightweight directory access protocol
(LDAP) credentials in the SSO service logon form, the MCP also
retrieves these from the SSO service module and supplies them to
the SSO client.
SSO Client
[0084] The SSO Client 126 is responsible for signing on to
configured secure financial applications, and running wizards to
allow the applications to be configured. It is intended that, once
installed on the client work station 120, the SSO client of the
embodiment should function in an equivalent fashion as a standard
SSO client. This is desirable for compatibility reasons and to
allow updates made to the standard client can be made available to
EspreSSO users immediately.
[0085] In an alternative embodiment, the MCP may be integrated
within the SSO client, wherein the SSO deployment file is arranged
to configure and control the download using the subsequent
password.
Web Browser
[0086] The web browser 124 is responsible for rendering the HTML
web pages from the EspreSSO Service 112 and downloading and
executing the EDF module 122. The rendering of HTML is reasonably
well standardized and should not vary significantly amongst
different browsers. The download and execution of the EDF on the
other hand is browser and operating system specific. Accordingly,
the EDF files will require tailoring to specific end-use, as
discussed in the EDF section above.
[0087] Turning to FIG. 2, the functional modules of the embodiment
are illustrated with their respective interfaces. In the
embodiment, all interfaces are implemented using HTTP POST and GET
messages. Considering the SSO service module 112, the
EspreSSOBootstrapInfo interface 113 provides a document listing,
datastore mode and other configuration options for the MCP
sub-module 123 which will be discussed further below. This
interface also allows for one-time retrieval of authorisation
credentials from the SSO service 112, as well as additional
retrieval of the subsequent password. The AuthUI interface 114
provides the initial HTML graphical user interface (GUI) page for
the Browser 124. The ConfigurationUI interface 115 provides HTML
configuration for the GUI, by provision of get, modify and save
functions.
[0088] In the case of the EspreSSO deployment file (EDF) module
122, the choice of interfaces depends on the technology chosen for
implementation (as discussed briefly above). The EDF Instantiator
interface 125 provides, for a CAB implementation, actions are
executed by in an .INI style file; whilst for XPI a JavaScript is
executed.
[0089] Only one interface is supported by the MCP module 123,
namely the AppLaunchGUI 128 which is implemented as an embedded
HTTP server (hostlocal only). The interface provides a list of
installed applications available for launch and replaces an ActiveX
component.
[0090] All communication with the SSO client module 126 is routed
through the SSOBootStrapper interface 127, which allows centralised
changes to client mechanisms. The interface provides methods to set
data store mode using a configuration document, set authorisation
credentials and both start and stop the client process. Importantly
in the embodiment, it is implemented within the client module so
that should the SSO client change how it stores its configuration,
the implementation of this interface and be conveniently updated at
the same time. Details of further functional aspects of certain
logical interfaces of the embodiment are set out below:
EspressoBootstrapInfo
[0091] GetSSOBootstrapConfig--Retrieves a document containing
bootstrap information for the MCP and SSO client. [0092]
GetSSOAuthDetails--Retrieves an XML document containing the
username, password and any other authentication details entered by
the user into the EspreSSO Service logon page. This method can only
be called once, after the first invocation the XML document is
destroyed and subsequent calls will fail. [0093] GetEDF--Retrieves
the EDF. [0094] GetClientComponent--Retrieves an additional SSO
client component.
SSOBootstraper
[0094] [0095] SetSSOBootstrapConfig--Accepts a document containing
bootstrap information for the SSO client. [0096]
SetSSOAuthDetails--Accepts a document containing authentication
information for the datastore. [0097] StartSSOClient--Starts the
SSO client.
AuthUI
[0097] [0098] HTTPGet--Returns an HTML document displaying the
logon form. [0099] HTTPPostSubmitAuthDetails--This method validates
the authentication details supplied in the logon form. If these
details are correct it returns an HTML document that causes the EDF
to be downloaded, otherwise it displays an error page.
AppLaunchUI
[0099] [0100] HTTPGet--Returns an HTML document displaying all of
the SSO configured applications that are currently available on the
local machine along with hyperlinks to launch them.
[0101] Once the code has been deployed to the client workstation,
the client code needs to query the EspreSSO server for
configuration and authentication information including
collaborating access with the subsequent password. Further, other
modules need to communicate with each other. Communication between
modules on the client PC 120 in the embodiment is performed using
function calls exported from Windows DLLs.
[0102] Communication between client modules and the EspreSSO
service 112 on the web server 110 is performed using HTTP Post
messages. For interfaces such as SSOBootstrapInfo which are
designed for automated use, a query string format is described in
detail above in the Interfaces section. As HTTP is a stateless
protocol, special measures must be taken to ensure that the
EspreSSO service understands that the current request is linked to
a previous request. This is especially important when the first
request was an authentication operation which the second request
relies upon.
[0103] The Java Servlets of the embodiment provide a mechanism
known as Sessions to address this issue. When a session is created,
an HTTP Cookie called JSESSIONID is returned to the user. In each
subsequent request this cookie is sent to the server, allowing the
server to know that the requests are all a part of the same
session. One difficulty can arise when separate client executable
modules want to access the same servlet session. This is a result
of the fact that JSESSIONID is a cookie that is tied to the browser
session, and may not be accessible to other programs. In this case
an external mechanism is provided for this cookie to be propagated
to other processes that require access to the same session.
[0104] More complex communications interfaces such as SOAP were
also considered for this role. While such systems provide some
extensibility and advanced features, the simplicity of the data and
function call requirements does not warrant such complexity in the
present embodiment.
[0105] In one mode of use, the method of the first embodiment
relates to a roaming corporate user or consumer who is accessing
the WebEspresso SSO system (such as a financial web server 110)
from a shared workstation (such as client PC 120); installation of
the client is ephemeral and employs the following steps: [0106] 1.
User receives a password from an external source; [0107] 2. User
employs the web browser 124 to navigate to a Web Espresso form
furnished by the EspreSSO service 112; [0108] 3. User enters
authorisation details and the received password comprising the
authorisation details into the form; [0109] 4. Web Server 110
validates the supplied user authorisation details against a
database and generates a subsequent password to be placed in a
deployment file 122; [0110] 5. Web server starts download of a
WebEspresso package in the form of the SSO deployment file 122;
[0111] 6. Client PC 120 runs the SSO deployment file and further
components, including the management control program (MCP) 123, are
installed/configured according to the client PC environment, in
accordance with a collaboration with the subsequent password now
stored on the client's PC; [0112] 7. Client settings and user
secrets or credentials are read from a secure local file (not
shown) or the web server 110; [0113] 8. SSO client application
effects single sign on to desired/authorised secure financial
applications, including Web applications, Windows applications,
Terminal services and Java applications; and [0114] 9. When the web
browser 124 is terminated, the user session ends or the client PC
120 is restarted the SSO client 126 uninstalls itself.
[0115] Steps 2 through 8 of the method described above are shown in
FIG. 3, wherein further details of the communications occurring
amongst the modules of FIG. 1 utilising the interfaces of FIG. 2
are depicted.
[0116] When form displayed by AuthUI is submitted in step 3, the
user's credentials are transmitted over the network to the EspreSSO
web server. Two things need to be ensured here, firstly that the
server credentials are being sent to is a trusted EspreSSO Server,
and secondly that no one except that trusted EspreSSO server can
access the credentials. By requiring that all communications with
the EspreSSO server are performed using HTTPS, and assuming that a
trust relationship has already been setup between the server SSL
certificate and the client browser, both of these concerns can be
addressed.
[0117] The EDF Instantiator interface 125 is utilised by the
browser to create the MCP 123, which is itself launched by the
browser via the AppLauchGUI interface 125 in steps 4 and 4.1. Step
7 above is labelled as 4.1.5 and involves obtaining the
authorisation details from the EspreSSO service 112 in FIG. 3.
After the EspreSSO service has validated the user credentials
provided though the AuthUI form, these credentials must be made
available to the MCP through the deployment file. To secure this,
the EspreSSO service must ensure that only the client who submitted
the authentication form can then retrieve those credentials. This
is the main function of the subsequent password stored on the
client's workstation from the deployment file. Where the subsequent
password is a generated set of OTPs, an additional, ever-changing
suite of passwords is employed, making the workstation a factor in
the authentication process.
[0118] Additional mechanisms are employed to ensure client
authentication with the EspreSSO service. For example, the EspreSSO
service will only return the credentials if the correct JSESSIONID
is provided. As JSESSIONID was only transferred between the server
and client over SSL, it will only be known to the intended client.
Further, once the credentials have been retrieved from the EspreSSO
Service they are deleted, meaning that if someone does later
discover the correct JSESSIONID they will not be able to access the
credentials.
[0119] Step 8 above is labelled as 4.1.7 in FIG. 3, which step
involves the SSO Client module 126 starting after being
bootstrapped by the MCP utilising the SSOBootstrapper interface
127.
[0120] Other embodiments of the method vary according to the
intended environment of use. For example, in the case of corporate
desktop environments which mostly have a strong package management
infrastructure, there are exceptions. Those corporate customers
that may only have very limited package deployment systems could
conveniently take advantage of the easy deployment offered by
WebEspresso. The steps in such a variation to the first embodiment
could then include: [0121] 1. User navigates to the Web Espresso
form; [0122] 2. User enters authorisation details including a
received password into form; [0123] 3. Server validates the
supplied user authorisation details against an LDAP Directory and
generates subsequent password for addition to the WebEspresso
package; [0124] 4. Server starts download of WebEspresso package;
[0125] 5. Client PC or laptop runs WebEspresso package and further
components are installed/configured as required and in accordance
with subsequent password; [0126] 6. Corporate settings and user
secrets or credentials are downloaded from an LDAP Directory;
[0127] 7. SSO client application effects single sign on to selected
secure financial applications, including Web applications, Windows
applications, Terminal services and Java applications; and [0128]
8. The next time the user logs into their PC or laptop the
WebEspreSSO client application starts automatically without
requiring credentials.
[0129] In this variation the SSO client application behaves like a
traditionally installed application. This variation to the
embodiment allows financial services' customers to use and manage
SSO in the normal way, but to take advantage of the easy deployment
offered by the WebEspreSSO system.
[0130] Thus it will be appreciated that the method of the present
invention can cater for different environments of use. On the one
hand, organisations may wish to provide a single directory based
data store for all application and system credentials required by
authorised users, regardless of type and level of access authority.
Corporate users of Espresso will most likely want to store their
configuration information in an LDAP or similar directory. To
support this, the standard SSO datastores are available can include
ActiveDirectory, eDirectory and LDAP.
[0131] Alternatively, for users in a consumer or B2C environment,
it is unlikely that a LDAP Directory will be available. Further,
many users will not want to store their credentials in a datastore
owned by a third party. Accordingly, the following datastore
options may be provided to support these scenarios: Standalone;
Smart Card and HTTP Datastore. The Standalone Espresso datastore
option stores data in a local file which is protected by the
username and password from the initial web logon form. The Smart
Card option stores data on in a storage area on a smart card
protected by a PIN, or stores data in a local file protected by a
key stored on the smart card. Whilst the HTTP Datastore option uses
HTTP to provide datastore services across the web. Furthermore
mobile users may also wish to take a secure wallet of credentials
with them during travel, which wallet is secured on the desktop of
their PC, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile
telephone or like portable computing device and on the server.
[0132] The method of the invention is a valuable functional
extension to a secure single sign-on arrangement, which extensions
enable web distribution and dynamic configuration of an SSO
financial application. The present invention employs multi-factor
authentication providing an acceptable level of security for high
risk transactions, or electronic account origination that has
traditionally required physical cues at financial institutions.
[0133] We now turn to further operational aspects the SSO client
application of the embodiment after installation. The SSO
application is suitably adapted to intercept and respond to
authentication requests issued by the secure financial application,
preferably including requests issued by mainframe applications, web
sites, Java applications, Unix applications and/or Windows
applications.
[0134] In the event that a secure financial application prompts
user credentials to be changed, the SSO application of the
embodiment is further adapted to intercept such prompts, ask the
user for the changed credentials, validate that the changed
credentials meet the secure financial application's requirements
and encrypt and send the changed credentials to the credential
datastore. Alternatively the SSO application may automatically
generate new or changed credentials for the user. This procedure
conveniently keeps the SSO data in synchronism with the
requirements of the secure financial application. The procedure
requires a password for a secure financial application to be
changed in the SSO data store, and have a server process change the
password in the secure financial application's authentication
database. Accordingly requests to change or reset passwords for
secure financial applications can be executed simply by changing
data in the SSO datastore.
[0135] A further enhancement of the SSO system resides in a reverse
synchronisation procedure, whereby the SSO datastore is monitored
for changes and these changes in credentials are relayed to the
authentication database of the relevant secure financial
application. An exemplary system configuration for reverse
synchronisation, which is useful for resetting or changing
credentials required for accessing secure financial applications on
back-end systems, is illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0136] The system 200 of the embodiment includes a user
workstation, such as a PC 201, running an SSO service, an SSO data
server 210 which holds SSO data in a datastore (not shown), an SSO
datastore monitor server 212 which monitors the SSO datastore, and
a backend application 214 on a back-end machine. The back-end
machine also includes an authentication database (not shown) for
the secure financial applications which it hosts. In use, the SSO
datastore monitor server 212 watches the SSO data server 210 for
any changes to credentials. If any credentials in the SSO data
store managed by the SSO data server do change, the monitor server
connects to the relevant backend application and modifies its
authentication database to reflect the change made the to SSO data
store.
[0137] It should be appreciated that the PC 201 running SSO and the
SSO data server 210 may be configured using either the SSO download
solution of the present invention or, alternatively, a prior art
SSO solution such as a persistent installation from distribution
media.
[0138] Where a highly mobile user is utilising a credential wallet
in a handheld device, such as a PDA or smart mobile telephone, the
SSO datastore can also synchronise with the wallet. This is
particularly advantageous in cases where the SSO system is randomly
generating credentials, or when as one-time passwords (OTPs) are
being used.
[0139] The applicant recognises that OTPs are an authentication
mechanism with a number of useful security properties, whereby OTP
authentication mechanisms are resistant to phishing attacks and
also find utility on insecure networks. However, it has been
realised that the insertion of information specifying how an
authentication was performed into the OTP can enable graded access.
This would only require changes to the initial authentication
infrastructure and the secure financial application, and not
require changes to any intermediate systems.
[0140] Portable computing devices, such as Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs) which are now sometimes integrated with mobile
telephones, are becoming ubiquitous. These devices can run small
applications and communicate with other computers, using either a
cable or wireless connections (such as infrared or Bluetooth links)
whether via public communication channels (such as the Internet) or
via private or proprietary communications channels. FIGS. 4 and 5
show a system 300 of a second embodiment of the present invention
that utilises the programmability of these devices and their
ability to communicate with a computer to create a secure store of
user credentials.
[0141] In a first configuration of the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 4, a PDA 301 is connected to a personal computer (PC) 302 that
is running an SSO service. The SSO service includes an extension
that is responsive to requests for user credentials from the PDA. A
program is installed on the PDA that makes such requests to the SSO
service on the PC to retrieve all of the user's credentials
(usernames, passwords, one time password (OTP) keys, certificates
and key pairs) and store them securely in a file on the PDA. This
would involve the PC in communicating with a network connected SSO
server 310 having an SSO datastore.
[0142] In a further configuration illustrated in FIG. 5, the PDA
communicates directory with the SSO server 310 via a TCP/IP
connection. The operation of this further configuration is the,
same as that of the first, with the exception that the service
queried by the program on the PDA resides on the SSO server
310.
[0143] Once the user credentials are stored on the PDA, the user
can run a program on the PDA that allows them to retrieve their
credentials. This program first prompts them for authorisation
details (such as a PIN) and then displays their credentials or, in
the case of one time passwords, generates a valid one time
password. For security, administrators or users can restrict which
credentials are replicated to the PDA.
[0144] It is to be understood that the above embodiments have been
provided only by way of exemplification of this invention, and that
further modifications and improvements thereto, as would be
apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art, are deemed to fall
within the broad scope and ambit of the present invention described
herein and defined in the claims which follow.
* * * * *