EP3391265A1

EP3391265A1 - Method for generating a challenge word, electronic device, set value peripheral, and system implementing said method

Info

Publication number: EP3391265A1
Application number: EP16826759.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hervé ABEL
Original assignee: ABC Smart Card
Current assignee: ABC Smart Card
Priority date: 2015-12-17
Filing date: 2016-12-16
Publication date: 2018-10-24
Also published as: US20180375669A1; WO2017103526A1; FR3045876A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and to a method for generating a challenge word (WCH) that is intended to be used in the context of an authentication request (Mi). Such a system particularly relies on an electronic device (10) and a set value peripheral (20) that are in communication (N1) with each other. The challenge word (WCH) is produced by said system on the basis of a candidate word (WCD) generated by said electronic device (10) and a piece of set value information (IC) generated by said set value peripheral (20). The invention offers a robust alternative to the major attacks experienced when entering a secret challenge word on a physical or virtual keyboard.

Description

Process for generating a challenge word, electronic device, setpoint device and system implementing said method

The invention relates to a method for generating a challenge word intended to be exploited as part of an authentication request. The objective of the invention is ultimately that a natural person can authenticate to receive a service without having to directly enter a challenge word, the content of which is held secret by said natural person, by means of a human-machine interface such as a keyboard. The invention further relates to a system for implementing such a challenge word development method. Such a system relies in particular on electronic objects in mutual communication. The invention offers a solution responding to the main known attacks when entering a challenge word, in the form of a secret password for example, a challenge word known generally as the English name "PIN Code" ( Personal Identification Number code) when it corresponds to a personal identification code or number.

There are many techniques allowing a natural person to authenticate with a machine such as a distributor of banknotes, goods, goods or services, a digital code driving an electronic lock, a computer or more generally any electronic object. Among the main techniques, we mentioned the entry of a challenge word whose content is in principle known only to said natural person. Alternatively, other techniques exploit a biometric capture of a physiological data of the person, in place of such a word challenge. Thus, it is possible to capture a fingerprint or retinal of a subject after a prior enrollment step. Such a print is supposed to discriminate said subject among his congeners. However, the equipment required to implement the particular capture step is expensive, even fragile. The prior enlistment step also requires a binding process for the person concerned. On the other hand, such a technique has other disadvantages likely to affect safety. Indeed, a capture, including a biometric fingerprint, can leave a trace in turn capturable and reproducible by a malicious entity. Entering a secret challenge word is therefore usually preferred. However, this technique also has weaknesses in terms of security. In an attempt to prevent any malicious interception or knowledge of the value of the said secret challenge word by a malicious entity, some physical keyboard manufacturers have opted for the addition of sensors detecting any attempt at physical intrusion or tampering. integrity of said keyboard. Others have also opted for the implementation of cryptographic procedures to encrypt and / or sign the transmission of the value of the word challenge. The objective sought is to preserve the confidentiality of the value of the said challenge word during the communication thereof, to an entity responsible for implementing an authentication or identification procedure on the basis of the said challenge word. . Such a procedure generally consists in implementing a comparison of the content of said word challenge with that of a reference word, registered in a secure manner with a trusted third party or in a restricted access memory. Such a solution designed to design secure physical keyboards is expensive, complex and poorly adapted to small electronic objects, because it requires the integration of a multitude of hardware, electronic, mechanical and computer for the implementation of cryptographic procedures. Whatever the arrangement of such a keyboard, a malicious person and / or cleverly positioned can see the entry or display of the characters of the secret word on the interface of deposit or return of the device with which a person enter the secret content of a challenge word, such as a PIN code for example.

To try to respond to such limitations but also to allow secure access to certain pages or applications accessible via an Internet browser, some actors offer a virtual keyboard. Such a keyboard generally has as many virtual keys as there are possible symbols for a character of said challenge word. These keys are displayed on a screen. It is possible to select them by means of a cursor that can be moved using a pointing device, for example a mouse or a touchpad. Such a solution is commonly used to protect the connection of an individual or professional to an online bank. So that the content of the word challenge, entered via said keyboard, can not be easily captured maliciously during the capture and / or transmission, the position of each key of the Virtual keyboard displayed on the screen is determined randomly or pseudo-randomly. As soon as the set of characters of the word challenge has been the subject of a selection of symbols, the content of said challenge word resulting from the concatenation of said characters is encoded and transmitted to the entity responsible for implementing the procedure of authentication. Although such a solution improves at a lower cost the security of entering a secret challenge word, it remains fallible to the implementation of malicious software, possibly installed without the knowledge of the user of an electronic object to from which said user enters the content of a challenge word. Such malware, usually named

"Trojan horse" or "Trojan" in English terminology, implements a screenshot, not discernible by the user when entering the word challenge, and thus retrieves the content of different characters of the word challenge . Moreover, the deployment of virtual keyboards is not very obvious because an application platform, implementing such a solution, must include a secure and multi-operable environment.

The invention makes it possible to respond to the drawbacks raised by the known solutions by proposing a method for developing a challenge word implemented by a processing unit of an electronic device cooperating with a setpoint device. Unlike known solutions, the action of a natural person during the step of "entering" the characters forming a challenge word, does not translate into an actuation of a physical or virtual key a keyboard with the chosen symbol. The action of said user via said setpoint device only results in an exchange of data between said setpoint device and said electronic device, data which, although possibly captured fraudulently, do not allow to deduce alone the content of a challenge word. By way of non-limiting example, an electronic device adapted according to the invention may consist of an electronic watch or any other personal accessory, such as by way of non-limiting examples a pair of electronic glasses, an atrium, a jewel. It suffices that said electronic device is provided with a man-machine rendering interface enabling it to deliver, according to a mode (graphic, sound, etc.) perceptible by its user, the characters of a candidate word whose characters are different. of those forming the future challenge word produced by said electronic device. In the same way, by way of nonlimiting examples, a setpoint device adapted according to the invention may consist of a smartphone, a tablet or any other electronic equipment or object arranged to communicate with the electronic device mentioned above and comprising a setpoint human-machine interface for translating a gesture or more generally an action of its user into data exploited by the electronic device together with the content of the candidate word to produce the word challenge safely.

The invention provides many advantages among which we can mention: to propose a particularly robust system to the known attacks against the seizure of secret challenge words;

do not require a setpoint interface and more generally a particularly secure setpoint device unlike known physical and virtual keyboards, since the data from said setpoint device alone can not find the secret content of a challenge word product according to the invention;

to be able to reduce to its simplest expression, and thus reduce the costs of acquisition and maintenance, the setpoint device.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for developing a challenge word implemented by a processing unit of an electronic device further comprising, a rendering interface, control means of said rendering interface, first communication means for cooperating with a setpoint device, first storage means and a sensor for cooperating with the user of said electronic device and measuring a physiological quantity of said user, said control means of said restitution interface, said first communication means, said first storage means and said sensor cooperating with said processing unit.

To produce such a challenge word safely and thus prevent known attacks, said method comprises: a step for collecting, analyzing the information delivered by the sensor and certifying that the electronic device is in close proximity to said user;

a step for producing a candidate word comprising a character consisting of a value chosen from an ordered list of n predetermined symbols individually designated by the value of an index, n being an integer greater than one, said list being recorded in the first storage means;

a step for triggering the control means of the rendering interface and restoring said candidate word by said interface;

a step for receiving a setpoint message, via said first communication means, and for decoding such a message and deriving a setpoint information produced by said setpoint device;

a step for producing the challenge word whose character of a given rank consists of one of the predetermined symbols contained in said ordered list, said symbol being designated by an index value which is a function of that denoting the value of the character of the candidate word of the same rank and the information of instruction.

According to an advantageous embodiment and to prevent any new production of a challenge word while the electronic device has remained in close proximity to its user, the step for producing the challenge word may also include the value of said word challenge produced in the first storage means.

On the other hand, when there is a loss of immediate proximity between said electronic device and said user, it may be necessary to produce a challenge word again. Thus, such a method may comprise a step for replacing the value of the challenge word registered in the first storage means with a predetermined value characterizing an erasure if the step for collecting, analyzing the information delivered by the sensor attests that the electronic device is not in close proximity to said user.

According to a second advantageous embodiment, the invention also provides that such a method may comprise a step for developing a solicitation message to the setpoint device and for triggering the transmission of said solicitation message by the first communication means. .

To implement an authentication procedure based on a challenge word required by a third electronic entity, an electronic device implementing a method according to the invention may advantageously comprise second communication means for cooperating with said entity. third. In this case, a method of developing a challenge word according to the invention may comprise:

a step, prior to the step of producing a candidate word, for receiving, via the second communication means, an incoming message sent by said third party requesting the production of the challenge word, for decoding said message and for deriving an identifier from said third party entity;

a step, subsequent to the step for producing said challenge word, for producing an outgoing message encoding the challenge word and for triggering transmission of the latter by the second communication means. To implement such an authentication procedure on the basis of a challenge word without requiring soliciting the setpoint device when the electronic device has remained in the immediate vicinity of its user, the invention provides that:

the steps for respectively producing a candidate word and / or the challenge word can only be implemented if the value of the challenge word registered in the first storage means is equal to the predetermined value characterizing an erasure;

- The step of developing an outgoing message may consist in reading the value of the word challenge in the first storage means prior to the encoding of the latter to develop the outgoing message.

In addition, it is advantageous to preserve the confidentiality of the challenge word that the step for developing an outgoing message can be implemented only if the step for collecting and analyzing the information delivered by the sensor attests that the electronic device is in close proximity to said user.

Generally a challenge word contains a plurality of characters. In this case, the process of developing a challenge word can be adapted so that the word candidate and the word challenge comprise a plurality of characters respectively consisting of one of the symbols selected from the ordered list of predetermined symbols.

For a user of an electronic device implementing a method according to the invention can ensure the validity of its action during the development of the word challenge, the method may advantageously include a step to trigger the means of piloting the rendering interface, and issuing, by said interface, the character of the challenge word produced in place of the character of the same rank of the candidate word and then, at the expiry of a determined waiting time, trigger the control means of the rendering interface and deliver, by said interface, a neutral symbol instead of said character.

In the case where the content of a character of the candidate word coincides coincidentally with that of the character of the same rank of the word challenge to be produced, a method according to the invention provides that the step for producing a character of the challenge word of a given rank consists of the value of the character of the candidate word of the same rank, if no set message is received by the first means of communication at the end of a waiting period determined from the transmission of the message solicitation. Thus, a lack of action via the setpoint device can be taken into account by the electronic device implementing such a method.

According to a preferred embodiment, the invention provides that the setpoint information may advantageously comprise a value representing a relative pitch with respect to the value index, denoting the predetermined symbol of a character of the candidate word.

In this case, the step of producing a character of a given rank of the word challenge can consist in choosing one of the predetermined symbols contained in said ordered list, said symbol being designated by an index value which is the sum, modulo the number n of predetermined symbols in said list, of the index value designating the predetermined symbol of the character of the candidate word of the same rank and of the value reflecting the relative pitch included in the setpoint information.

According to a second object, the invention furthermore relates to a computer program product comprising program instructions which, when they are:

- previously recorded in second storage means of an electronic device comprising a processing unit, first storage means, a rendering interface, communication means for cooperating with a third device, a sensor for cooperating with the user said electronic device and measuring a physiological quantity of said user, said rendering interfaces, said communication means, said first and second storage means, the sensor cooperating with said processing unit;

- performed or interpreted by said processing unit,

cause the implementation of a method of developing a challenge word according to the invention. As an exemplary preferred embodiment, the invention provides that such an electronic device may advantageously consist of an electronic watch whose rendering interface consists of the screen thereof.

According to a third object, the invention relates to a system for generating a challenge word comprising an electronic device and a setpoint device according to said invention.

Such a system may further comprise a third electronic entity requiring an authentication procedure based on the word challenge, said entity cooperating with the electronic device of said system.

Other features and advantages will emerge more clearly on reading the following description and on examining the figures that accompany it, among which:

FIG. 1 presents a functional architecture of a system for generating a challenge word in accordance with the invention; FIG. 2 describes a method for producing such a challenge word implemented by an electronic device of a system as presented by way of example in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 describes a method for generating setpoint information implemented by a setpoint device of a system described by way of example in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 illustrates an application example of a system for constructing a word challenge in the form of a four-character word associated respectively with symbols belonging to an ordered list of Arabic numerals between ^λ 0 'and λ9'.

FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of a system for generating a WCH challenge word required for example by an electronic entity 30. Such a system comprises in particular two electronic objects in the form of an electronic device 10 and A reference device 20. As a preferred and nonlimiting example, an electronic device 10 according to the invention consists of an electronic watch carried by a user U. As a variant, such a device 10 could consist of a pair of glasses. interactive, an electronic jewel or any other adaptable personal accessory according to the invention. For its part, a setpoint device 20 may consist for example of a smartphone or an interactive tablet, or even a personal computer.

In order to be able to implement a method 100 for producing a WCH challenge word, said method

100 being described later with reference to FIG. 2, an electronic device 10 comprises a processing unit 11, for example in the form of one or more microcontrollers cooperating with storage means, in the form of a data memory 12, possibly a program memory 13, said memories 12 and 13 possibly being dissociated or forming one and the same physical entity, or even one of which, for all or part, can be distant, by example hosted by a server not shown in FIG.

The electronic device 10 can be requested by a remote electronic entity 30, in the form of an application server or a trusted electronic third party, said entity 30 implementing an authentication procedure relying on the provision of a WCH challenge word whose content is for example compared to that of a reference word. In this case, a request for developing a challenge word can be transmitted to the electronic device 10 in the form of an incoming message Mi through a communication network N2, for example of the Internet type or an intranet. The electronic device 10 may then comprise communication means 15 arranged to provide such remote communication encoding and / or decoding messages. Indeed, after elaboration of a challenge word WCH by said electronic device 10, the content of said challenge word WCH can be encoded and then transmitted by said communication means 15 to said entity 30, in the form of an outgoing message Mo through said communication network N2. As a variant, such a communication network N2 can result in a wired connection between the device 10 and the entity 30. According to another variant, said electronic device 10 and said entity 30 can constitute only one and the same physical entity. whose processing unit

11 would implement two processes: one to solicit and process the development of a WCH challenge word and the other to develop it.

When the storage means 12 and / or 13 are internal to the electronic device 10, the processing unit 11 co-operates, as in other internal elements, with said means 12 and / or 13 by one or more communication buses, represented in FIG. 1 by a double arrow. An electronic device 10 comprises communication means 14 designed to communicate with one or more setpoint devices 20, for example a smart phone, through a communication network NI. Such communication may be wireless, via a proximity communication protocol, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth technology.

ZigBee. It can be alternatively wire, via a USB or FireWire type protocol, according to two examples of non-limiting protocol.

According to a preferred embodiment, but optionally, an electronic device 10 may comprise or cooperate with one or more sensors 17. Such a sensor 17 is advantageously chosen to measure a physiological magnitude of the user or owner U of said electronic device 10. The objective is to ensure conditioning the development of a WCH challenge word to a proven immediate proximity, or even a direct contact, of said electronic device 10 with its user U. To do this, such a sensor 17 cooperates with the processing unit 11 of said electronic device 10.

An example of a sensor 17 may be chosen or arranged to measure the body temperature, pulse or heart rate of said user U. The invention can not be limited by the use of these examples of measurements of physiological constants. We will see, in connection with FIG. 2, that the measurement delivered by the sensor 17 can be exploited to detect a discontinuity of contact or immediate proximity. the electronic device 10 and its user U for security purposes.

The electronic device 10 further comprises a rendering interface 1D cooperating with the processing unit 11. According to FIG. 1, said interface 1D is controlled by control means 16 separated from said processing unit 10. According to a second embodiment of FIG. realization, the means 16 and the processing unit 11 may be one and the same physical entity.

Said control means 16 then designate the processing unit 11. According to FIG. 1, said means 16 are triggered by said processing unit 11, via content reproduction commands od1, to cause a retrieval of information perceptible by the user U. Advantageously, such a reproduction is graphic. It could, alternatively or in addition, be sound. Thus, the 1D interface can render content in the form of a text, a graphic illustration, or a videogram or a soundtrack. More generally, we will qualify such content as "multimedia content", without limitation of format or mode of reproduction.

Such a 1D interface can thus advantageously consist of one or more screens, in one or more loudspeakers, or more generally, said interface 1D can include any means capable of delivering information perceptible by the human. Such a rendering interface 1D may be internal to the electronic device 10 or cooperate with it remotely. According to this variant, the invention thus provides for the use of a screen, for example, of a third-party electronic device. Restitution a multimedia content is however triggered by the processing unit 11 of the electronic device 10.

Advantageously, an electronic device 10 according to the invention may comprise an optional setpoint interface, not shown in FIG. 1, for example in the form of a keyboard or a microphone or, more generally, any means allowing a human to interact with the device 10 to inform it. Such an optional setpoint interface can translate parameterization information communicated in particular by the user U into parameterization data transmitted, in turn, to the processing unit 11 via a communication bus or by coupling. Such parameterization data may consist of preferences for configuring the rendering interface 1D and thus choosing a particular rendering mode or, more generally, for parameterizing the operation of the electronic device 10. According to an advantageous embodiment, such an interface setpoint can be confused with the rendering interface 1D and consist of a touch screen for example.

In order to be able to implement a method for generating a challenge word WCH according to the invention, the storage means, for example the memory 13, may comprise program instructions of a computer program product PI, of which the interpretation or execution by the processing unit 11 adapts the operation of said electronic device 10, causing the implementation by the latter of a method of developing a challenge word WCH according to the invention. The memory means, by For example, the memory 12 advantageously comprises data structures 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d or 12e, the respective contents and utilities of which will be detailed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of FIG. a process 100 according to the invention.

Figure 1 describes a system according to the invention comprising a target device 20, such as a mobile phone or a touch pad for example. More generally, such a setpoint device 20 consists of an electronic object communicating with the electronic device 10 via the link NI. Like the electronic device 10, a reference device 20 comprises a processing unit 21, for example in the form of one or more microcontrollers cooperating with storage means, in the form of a data memory 22. , possibly of a program memory 23, said memories

22 and 23 being optionally dissociated or forming one and the same physical entity.

The setpoint peripheral 20 can be requested by the electronic device 10. In this case, a request for generating a setpoint information can be transmitted to the setpoint device 20, in the form of an incoming message Md through the network. NI communication. Such communication can be advantageously wireless, via a proximity communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, ZigBee or any other alternative technology. The NI link can be alternatively wired, for example, via a protocol of USB or FireWire type. The setpoint device

20 comprises communication means 24 arranged to provide such proximity communication, by encoding and / or decoding messages. Indeed, after elaboration of a setpoint information IC by the setpoint device 20, the content of said setpoint information IC can be encoded and then transmitted by said communication means 24 to the electronic device 10, in the form of a message exiting Me through said NI communication network.

The storage means 22 and / or 23 cooperate, like other internal elements, with the processing unit 21 by one or more communication buses, represented in FIG. 1 by a double arrow.

The setpoint peripheral 20 further comprises a 2D setpoint interface cooperating with the processing unit 21. According to FIG. 1, said 2D interface is controlled by control means 26 separated from said processing unit 21. According to a second embodiment embodiment, the means 26 and the processing unit 21 may constitute one and the same physical entity. The control means 26 and the processing unit 21 then designate without distinction the same physical entity. According to FIG. 1, said means 26 are triggered by said 2D interface translating a gesture or a detectable action by said 2D interface, from the user U of said setpoint device, into id2 setpoint data communicated to the processing unit 21. .

Such a target device 20 may further comprise a rendering interface, not shown in FIG. 1, rendering interface possibly confused with the 2D setpoint interface. Such an optional rendering interface makes it possible to deliver a user-perceivable content U in the form of a text, a graphic illustration, or a videogram or soundtrack. More generally, we will qualify such content as "multimedia content" without limitation of format or mode of reproduction. Such a rendering interface can thus advantageously consist of one or more screens, in one or more loudspeakers. Such 2D rendering interface may be internal to the reference device 20 or cooperate remotely therewith. According to this variant, the invention thus provides for the use of a screen, for example, of a third electronic object. The reproduction of a multimedia content is, however, triggered by the processing unit 21 of the setpoint device 20, possibly via means for controlling the rendering interface, for example the means 26.

Advantageously, a setpoint device 20 according to the invention may comprise a mixed reference and playback interface, for example in the form of a touch screen or any means allowing a human to interact with the setpoint device 20. The 2D setpoint interface may optionally translate parameterization information, in particular communicated by the user U, into parameterization data transmitted, in turn, to the processing unit 21 via a communication bus or by coupling. Such parameterization data may consist of preferences for configuring the setpoint and / or 2D rendering interface, and thus choosing a particular rendering mode or, more generally, for setting the operation of the setpoint device 20. The exploitation In the sense of the invention, the main purpose of the 2D interface is to translate an action Au exerted by the user U of said setpoint peripheral 20 into a user input data id2 so that the processing unit 21 produces a piece of information. setpoint IC by implementing a method 200 for developing said setpoint information IC, described later in connection with Figure 3 in particular.

To be able to implement such a process

200, the storage means 23 may comprise program instructions of a computer program product P2, the interpretation and / or execution of which by the processing unit 21 adapts the operation of said setpoint device 20, in causing the latter to implement a method for producing a set-point information IC according to the invention. FIG. 1 also describes, by way of nonlimiting example, a management mode of the storage means 12 cooperating with the processing unit 11 of an electronic device 10 adapted according to the invention. Thus, a first data structure 12a is provided for storing an ordered list or array of n predetermined symbols SI, S2, Sn, where n is an integer greater than or equal to two. Each symbol or value representative of such a symbol, for example an integer numerical value between integers 0 and 9, or graphic, figurative or even sound symbols, may be individually designated by the value of an index Ix. Thus, when said index takes the value 2, the symbol stored in second position in said ordered list is designated. Any other technique equivalent could be used in place of or in addition to said indexing of the list of specified symbols.

The example described in connection with FIG. 1 corresponds to the elaboration of a challenge word WCH comprising m characters WCH1 to WCHm, each character taking as value that of one of said symbols of said ordinate stored in 12a. By way of nonlimiting example, the value m can take a non-zero integer value between

4 and 8. Indeed, most secret words has a number of characters less than or equal to 8, typically 4. However, the size of a challenge word WCH can not represent any limitation of the invention. Such a challenge word WCH is stored in the storage means 12, advantageously in a data structure referenced 12e in FIG. 1, after its production by the system according to the invention. We will see, in connection with the detailed description of a process 100 for producing such a challenge word WCH described in FIG. 2, that said elaboration is based on the generation of a candidate word WCD, comprising, at Like the word challenge WCH, m characters whose respective contents correspond to one of the n symbols included in the ordered list stored in 12a. Such a candidate word WCD can be generated randomly or pseudo randomly. It is therefore likely to be distinct from the word challenge WCH that the process 100 elaborates and whose content is supposed to be only held in the physical and real memory of the user U. Such a candidate word WCD can be recorded during its generation by the electronic device 10 in a structure within the storage means

12, like the word WCH. Alternatively, and as the 1, a data structure 12b may comprise, for the m characters of said candidate word WCD, the respective values of index Ixd1 to Ixdm, each denoting the symbol associated with one of the m characters of said word. WCD candidate. The structure 12b thus represents a representation WCD 'of the candidate word WCD as such for which each element WCD1' to WCDm 'encodes a value of the index Ix associated with the ordered list stored in the data structure.

12a.

The storage means 12 may advantageously, but not limitatively, include a structure 12d translating a representation WCH 'of the challenge word WCH as such, according to which each element WCH1' to WCHm 'encodes a value Ixcl at Ixcm of the index Ix associated with the ordered list registered in 12a.

The storage means 12 may furthermore comprise a structure 12c arranged to record a setpoint information IC produced by the setpoint peripheral 20, as will be seen in connection with FIG. 3, presenting a method 200 implemented by said peripheral 20. According to some embodiments, such information IC may itself comprise m fields each encoding an index increment. According to this embodiment, the storage means 12 may comprise a data structure 12c in which each field IC1 to ICm will consist of relative information with regard to the candidate word WCD. Any other information IC could be stored in place of the structure 12c described in FIG. Let us now study a non-limiting example of a method 100 for developing a challenge word WCH in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. FIG. 4 describes a non-limiting example of application of a control system. elaboration of a WCH challenge word of m = 4 characters WCH1 to WCH4. We recall that this number m of characters of the word WCH challenge does not constitute any limitation for the invention. According to this example, the storage means 12 of an electronic device 10, such as that described with reference to FIG. 1, comprises an ordered list 12a of n = 10 predetermined symbols corresponding respectively to the Arabic numerals ^λ 0 'to ^λ 9' . Thus, the challenge word that one wishes to produce by the invention is similar to a personal identification code of four characters associated with one of the n = 10 symbols S1 = '0', S2 = '1', S3 = '2', S10 = '9'. Any other symbol, possibly figurative, could be exploited instead of Arabic numerals given previously as a non-limiting example. According to our example, a user U memorizes in his head the content "8 6 3 1" of a secret word S in the form of a personal identification code.

FIG. 4 depicts on its left, an example of an IDV graphic interface, delivered by a reference device 20, graphically presenting a series of virtual coding wheels Rj, j which can take an integer value of between one and four. An encoder wheel Rj is associated with the character WCHj of the challenge word that one wishes to produce thanks to the invention. The virtual coding wheel Rj comprises a relative integer step, for example between -5 and +5, which makes it possible to choose an integer value relative to reference of an index value designating the symbol of the character WCDj of a candidate word WCD, the latter being delivered by the rendering interface 1D of an electronic device, such as the device 10 described in connection with FIG. Said rendering interface 1D thus presents the user U with a candidate word WCD of content "3 9 1 9". The object of the invention is thus to ask the user U of the target device 20 to choose a relative step or index increment with respect to the symbol associated with each character of the candidate word WCD, so that the initial symbol the character of said candidate word WCD is mentally substituted by the symbol associated with the character of the same rank of the secret word S. According to this example described with reference to FIG. 4, a set-point information IC produced by the setpoint peripheral 20 corresponds to a given data item. having m = 4 fields IC1 to IC4, transmitted by said device 20 to said electronic device

10 in the form of an instruction message Me. The content of said information consists in encoding four relative steps " ^λ + 5 ' ^λ -3' ^λ + 2 ' ^λ + 2'" respectively associated with the m characters of the candidate word. WCD, so that the content of the secret word S replaces that of the word candidate WCD. According to this preferred embodiment, the setpoint information IC may comprise m = 4 fields IC1 to IC4 each having a relative integer value between -5 and 5. Said information IC is recorded in the structure 12c within the storage means. 12.

To produce the WCH challenge word, the processing unit 11 of the electronic device 10 adds (modulo n = 10) the value of the Ixdj index designating the symbol j ^th character (or character row j) the candidate word WCD with the value of the field ICj of the set information. The value resulting Ixcj index means the symbol of the j ^th character of the challenge WCHj word. This is written in the data structure 12d.

Thus, in conjunction with FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a preferred example of a process for developing a challenge word WCH 100 implemented by the electronic device 10 comprises a first step 121 for producing a candidate word WCD including m = 4 characters WCD1 to WCD4, each consisting of a value or symbol selected from the ordered list of n = 10 predetermined symbols SI, S2, S10. Such a step 121 thus consists in writing in a data structure 12b within the storage means 12 of the electronic device 10, a representation WCD 'as mentioned above. Thus, each field WCD1 'to WCD4' has an index value Ixd1 to Ixd4 denoting one of the symbols of the ordered list of predetermined symbols. For example, consider that step 121 consists of producing a candidate word WCD consisting of "3 9 1 9". The first field WCD1 'thus has a value Ixdl equal to the integer value four to designate the symbol ^λ 3'. The second field WCD2 'has meanwhile a value Ixd2 equal to the integer value ten to designate the symbol ^λ 9' and so on for the other characters of said candidate word. To select the symbol associated with each character of the candidate word WCD, step 121 may, for example, implement a pseudo-random draw of a value between 1 and n = 10 from a seed generated by a random generator or counter internal to the processing unit 11 and a key written in the memory means 12 or 13.

A method 100 according to the invention therefore comprises a step 122 for triggering the control means 16 (if the latter are dissociated from the processing unit 11) of the rendering interface 1D of the electronic device 10. As a non-limiting example of a device consisting of an electronic watch, the rendering interface 1D consists of a screen.

The processing unit 11 transmits an order odl content restitution, to cause the return of the content of the candidate word WCD, for example in the form of a graphic display. The user U of the watch 10 can therefore view the content of the candidate word WCD.

Step 122 furthermore consists of elaborating, encoding and transmitting by means of communication 14 a solicitation message Md intended for a reference device 20, for example a smart phone adapted according to the invention, as we shall study it. subsequently, by describing an exemplary method 200 for generating a set-point information IC in connection with FIG. 3. An NI link, for example according to Bluetooth technology, is initiated between the watch 10 and the user's telephone 20. U. The latter activates his telephone and carries out Au actions detected by the 2D interface of said telephone and translated in the form of a set-point information IC. In connection with our preferred example described in connection with FIG. 4, the user U has an IDV graphic interface, for example in the form of one or more coding wheels displayed by the 2D interface, allowing him to choose a not relative to the look of the predetermined ordered list of symbols. Thus, if the first character of the candidate word WCD corresponds to the symbol ^λ 3 'and the first character of the secret word S that the user wishes to produce is'8', the user can operate the encoder wheel RI to choose a relative pitch of 'index equal to ^λ +5' as shown in Figure 4. This means that the user U considers that the character of the word challenge must match the symbol in the ordered list, five ranks further (modulo the number n = 10 of possible symbols) that the symbol ^λ 3 'of the first character WCD1 of the candidate word WCD, is the symbol ^λ 8'.

The method 100 therefore comprises a step 123 for receiving a setpoint message Me, via said communication means 14, and for decoding such a message Me and deducing therefrom the setpoint information IC produced by said setpoint device 20. Such step 123 may further include writing said information IC in a data structure 12c within the storage means 12 of the electronic device 10.

The method 100 therefore comprises a step 130 for producing the challenge word WCH whose character WCHj of a given rank j consists of one of the n = 10 predetermined symbols SI, S2, Sn contained in said ordered list stored in 12a. The symbol associated with said character WCHj is designated by an index value Ixcj which is a function of that Ixdj denoting the value of the character WCDj of the candidate word WCD of the same rank j and of the set information IC. Thus according to Figure 4, the symbol ^λ 6 'of the second WCH2 character is developed in 213 by adding, modulo n = 10, the value of the index Ixd2 equal to the integer value 10, to which the processing unit 11 adds the relative integer value -3 derived from the setpoint information IC. The resulting value recorded in the structure 12d takes the value 7, which corresponds to the symbol ^λ 6 'in the ordered list recorded in 12a.

According to the example illustrated in FIG. 4, the graphic interface IDV has as many virtual coding wheels Rj as characters of the future challenge word WCH to be produced. In this case, the information IC is composite, that is to say that it has as many fields ICI to ICm as there are characters of the candidate word WCD. The setpoint message Me thus comprises the relative increments associated with each character of said candidate word WCD. As a variant, said graphic interface IDV could comprise only one encoder wheel. In this case, the steps 122 to 125 would be implemented iteratively (situation illustrated in FIG. 2 by the link 126y) so that m successive instruction messages Me can be decoded at 123 and thus make it possible to elaborate all the m characters. of the word challenge WCH.

Moreover, the invention provides several embodiments for managing a situation in which a character of the secret word S, and therefore of the future challenge word WCH developed in step 124, would be identical to that of the candidate word generated in the step A first possibility is that the user U chooses a step or increment of zero via the graphic interface IDV. Alternatively, the method 100 may be adapted so that the step 124, to produce a character WCHj of the challenge word WCH of the rank j, is that the value of said character WCHj takes the value or is associated with the same symbol, that the character WCDj of rank j of the candidate word WCD, if no setpoint message Me is received by the communication means 14 of the electronic device 10 at the end of a determined waiting time T1, measured from the emission of the solicitation message Md in step 122. Such a duration T1 can be advantageously set to last from one to a few seconds for example.

To deliver a return information to the user U so that the latter can ensure that his user action Au is correctly taken into account by the setpoint device 20 and then by the electronic device 10, a method 100 for producing a challenge word WCH according to the invention may comprise a step 125 for triggering the control means 16 of the rendering interface 1D and restore by said interface 1D the character WCHj of the challenge word WCH produced at step 124 in place and place of the character WCDj of rank j of the word candidate WCD. This situation is illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, by FIG. 4. In fact, in its right part, FIG. 4 describes a graphic rendering delivered by the interface 1D in response to a sequence of odl display commands. produced by the processing unit 11. Thus, following the step 122, that is to say at the time referenced tO in FIG. 4, the candidate word WCD, whose four characters are respectively associated to the symbols ^λ 3 ', ^λ 9', ^λ 1 'and ^λ 9', is delivered graphically by the interface 1D. The user positions the encoder wheel RI and chooses a relative increment ^λ +5 'so that mentally he can substitute the symbol ^λ 3' of the first character WCD1 of the candidate word WCD by the symbol ^λ 8 'of the first character of the secret word S that he knows. During the development of the first character of WCH1 WCH challenge word, the symbol chosen for the said WCH1 character (the symbol ^λ 8 'in this case) replaces the symbol ^λ 3' previously associated with character

Acd1. The user U can thus visually validate the proper taking into account of his selection of increment carried out via the encoder wheel RI. In order not to give the possibility to a malicious third party to display the symbol of the first character of the secret word S, the method 100 furthermore provides that at the expiry of a determined waiting time T2 (for example half a second ), that the step 125 consists in triggering the control means 16 of the rendering interface 1D to restore by said interface 1D, a neutral symbol instead of said character WCHj produced, or in the nonlimiting example described in connection with Figure 4, a star: ^λ * '. Thus, at time t1, the word delivered by the interface 1D has the content "* 9 1 9". FIG. 4 also describes, at time t2, that after the action of the user U via the coding wheel R2, the symbol associated with the second character of the secret S substituting, after its elaboration at 124, with the symbol of the second character WCD2 of the candidate word WCD is replaced, at the expiry of the determined waiting time T2, by a neutral symbol, and so on for the third and fourth characters of the word challenge WCH produced. After the entirety of the m characters of the WCH challenge word has been produced (situation described by the link 126n), ie at the instant t4, the word delivered by the rendering interface 1D describes m neutral symbols is: * * * * * ". The word challenge WCH is thus constituted in a step 130 and possibly registered in 12th memory. Thanks to this clever embodiment, the user U can visualize the proper consideration, by the electronic device 10, of the incremental selection he has made each time an encoder wheel Rj of the interface is actuated. IDV graphic delivered by the 2D rendering interface of the reference device 20. When describing an electronic device 10 according to the invention in connection with Figure 1, we have discussed a preferred embodiment according to which such device 10 may comprise a sensor 17 for cooperating with the user U of said electronic device 10 and measuring a physiological quantity of said user U. To ensure that the challenge word WCH can not advantageously be produced, in step 130, by the processing unit 11 of said electronic device 10, that when the latter is in direct contact with, or in close proximity to, its authorized user U, said method 100 may be advantageous. advantageously comprise a step not shown in FIG. 2, prior to said step 130, for collecting, analyzing an information delivered by the sensor 17 and certifying that the electronic device 10 is in close proximity to said user U. In the opposite case, the word WCH, previously entered in the storage means 12 is deleted from the 12th structure. Such deletion may consist, for example, of entering a predetermined value, for example a zero value, characterizing such an erasure. As a variant or in addition, such an optional step interrogating the sensor 17 may condition the implementation of step 121 to produce the candidate word WCD, or even the implementation of steps 122, 123 and / or 124. Such a safety step may consist in ensuring continuity of the user's pulse, for example, or any other continuity of time. physiological order.

The invention further provides an improvement according to which a complementary procedure "pairing" between the electronic device 10 and its user U can be implemented during the first application of said electronic device 10 in the immediate vicinity of said user U or against the body of it. Such a pairing procedure may advantageously include, but is not limited to, enrolling a physiological magnitude of said user U, or even in the verification of a physiological magnitude, for example the capture of a finger or retinal fingerprint. , having already been the subject of an enlistment. This procedure, not shown in FIG. 2, makes it possible to exercise during the implementation of the method 100 a continuity test of the immediate proximity of the electronic device 10 with its user U. If said continuity is not broken, then the word challenge WCH produced during a previous challenge word production request does not require a new production 130 of said challenge word WCH via an action Au said user on the setpoint device 20. The content of the WCH challenge word currently recorded in the structure of 12th data remains persistent and relevant. On the other hand, as soon as a loss of continuity of the immediate proximity of the electronic device 10 with its user U is detected by the processing unit 11, then the content of said challenge word recorded at the step 130 of said method 100 in the data structure 12e is erased. The method 100 again consists in implementing the production steps 121 of a candidate word WCD and then in generating 123 and 124 of the characters WCHj of the challenge word WCH. Such a continuity test may thus consist, when the sensor 17 attests an immediate proximity of the electronic device 10 with its user U, to read the value of the challenge word written in the structure 12e within the memory means

12. If said value is distinct from the predetermined value characterizing an erasure thereof, it means that the continuity is proven. Any other combination would lead to a negative result of said continuity test.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the development of a challenge word WCH by an electronic device 10 according to the invention can be triggered by the reception of a request from a third electronic entity 30. According to a possible link N2 between said entity 30 and said electronic device 10, the latter may comprise communication means 15 arranged to transmit outgoing messages Mo, previously encoded by the processing unit 11, to the entity 30. Reciprocally, said means 15 are arranged to receive incoming messages Mi emitted by said entity decoded by the processing unit 11 of the electronic device 10. In this case, a method 100 according to the invention and described by way of non-limiting example in FIG. 1, includes a step 110, prior to step 121 to produce a candidate word WCD, to receive, via the communication means 15, an incoming message Mi issued by said third entity 30 requiring the production of the word WCH challenge. Step 110 furthermore consists in decoding said message Mi. Advantageously, such an incoming message Mi may comprise an identifier characterizing the entity 30. Such an identifier may for example consist of a public key belonging to the entity or else in a single address. A message Mi may furthermore comprise additional data of an application order, for example and in a non-exhaustive manner, an identifier of the transaction concerned by said request for the production of a challenge word, a foreign currency amount of a financial transaction, etc. Step 110 therefore consists in deducing from said incoming message Mi, said identifier of said third electronic entity 30, or said additional data. At the end of the implementation of step 130 of developing the WCH challenge word, such a method 100 may further comprise a step 140, subsequent to said step 130, to develop an outgoing message MB encoding the challenge word WCH generates and triggers the transmission of the latter by the communication means 15 to the entity 30 having required the production of said challenge word. In the case where an identifier of said entity consists of a public key, step 140 may advantageously consist of encrypting said outgoing message Mo using said identifier. Thus, only the entity 30 will in turn decrypt said outgoing message MB with the secret key corresponding to the transmitted identifier. Any other security measure, encryption and / or signature, could be implemented by said device 10 and the entity 30 to exchange outgoing messages Mo and incoming Mi safely. Thus, instead of an action 140 to export the WCH challenge word, although it may be encrypted, an alternative or complementary action to said step 140 could consist of a process of signing a transaction or more usually a challenge using the value of the word WCH challenge produced.

Furthermore, in connection with an embodiment implementing a continuity test of the immediate proximity of the electronic device 10 with its user U, the invention provides that the method 100 may comprise a step, not shown in FIG. in step 140 and conditioning the execution thereof. Such an additional step would consist in requiring an action by the user to intentionally accept the use of the word WCH whose value is already entered in the data structure 12e and elaborated previously, for example several hours ago, in view of the continuity of the proximity of the electronic device 10 and its user U. Such a step could for example consist in waiting for the user U to perform a determined actuation of a setpoint interface, not shown in FIG. electronic device 10, when the latter has, to confirm its intentionality. Such a setpoint interface could consist of a keyboard or a microphone or, more generally any means allowing a human to interact with the electronic device 10. The absence of such an operation in accordance with a voluntary acceptance by the user U the exploitation of the word WCH challenge, can be considered as meaning a refusal. Step 140 or any other equivalent step exploiting said challenge word WCH can advantageously be proscribed by the electronic device 10. Such a situation could also be completed by an erasure of the value of the challenge word WCH in the storage means 12, in order to constrain the production of a again a WCH challenge word by soliciting a setpoint device to obtain new setpoint information IC.

The invention further provides an alternative embodiment of a method 100 according to the invention. Indeed, according to the advantageous embodiments previously described, after the production of the challenge word WCH in step 130, it can be transmitted in a step 140. In order to further preserve the confidentiality of the word challenge WCH , an advantageous embodiment could consist in transmitting, not a message MB encoding said challenge word WCH but, a message MB encoding certification data exploitable by a remote entity 30 so that it can ensure production of said challenge word by said electronic device 10 with respect to a secret S without the electronic device 10 transmitting the value of said challenge word WCH to said entity 30. For this, in a prior step not described in Figure 2, said entity 30 and the electronic device 10 record in respective memory means the same word refer WR, structurally in accordance with a WCD candidate word and advantageous secretly. In addition, such certification data would jointly consist of the IC setpoint information derived in step 123 and describing a discrepancy between the candidate word WCD and the secret S, and in a word WD describing a distance or gap between said candidate word WCD, produced in step 121, and said referring word WR. Such a word WD describing a distance or deviation can, like the IC information, comprise a plurality of fields each encoding an index increment describing a relative information with regard to the WCD candidate word. Any other WD information to characterize a distance between the word refer WR and the candidate word WCD could alternatively be exploited. It is sufficient that said information WD allows the entity 30, knowing the value of the word refer WR and said information WD, to find the content of the candidate word WCD without it being transmitted to him as such. Said entity 30 can then determine, on the basis of the certification data IC and WD, whether the electronic device 10 has produced a challenge word WCH relevant to the secret S. The latter could also be generated dynamically by the entity 30 and to be displayed or delivered to the user U by any means prior to the implementation of the method 100.

To produce IC setpoint information exploited by an electronic device according to the invention, such as the device 10 described in connection with FIG. 1, implementing a method 100 for producing a WCH challenge word described in connection with FIG. 2, a system according to the invention comprises a setpoint device 20. The latter must be adapted to implement a method 200 for producing said setpoint information IC according to the present invention. An example of realization preferred but not limiting of such a method 200 is described in connection with Figure 3.

In connection with FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, such a method 200 is implemented by the processing unit 21 of a reference device 20.

Said method 200 comprises a first step 210 for receiving a solicitation message Md sent from an electronic device 10 according to the invention, in communication, by means of a wireless NI link, via Bluetooth or ZigBee technologies, for example, or a wired NI connection, via USB, FireWire or equivalent protocols, with said setpoint device 20. Upon receipt of a message Md by the communication means 24 of said setpoint device 20, step 210 consists in decoding such a message Md and deduce a request for production of a set information IC. This step 210 advantageously constitutes a triggering event for the implementation of a series of subsequent steps.

However, any other triggering factor could be exploited instead of or in addition to such a step 210. Among said subsequent steps, a step 213 consists of producing said setpoint information IC from a user input data id2 delivered by the 2D setpoint interface of said device 20, via the control means 26 of said 2D interface, translating an action A exerted by a user U of said setpoint device 20.

We will detail later how such an action Au can be exerted by said user U. Anyway, a method 200 according to the invention ultimately comprises a step 220 to develop a setpoint message Me encoding the IC set information produced in step 213 to the electronic device 10 and to trigger the transmission of said setpoint message Me by the communication means 24 of the target device 20.

So that the user U can exert a relevant action Au, a method 200 according to the invention may advantageously comprise a step 211, prior to step 213, to trigger, by restitution commands od2, the control means 26 of the 2D rendering interface of said reference device 20. In response to such commands od2, said 2D interface can restore a device or interface advantageously graphic IDV, as described in a non-limiting manner in FIG. 4. As previously studied, such IDV GUI allows the user U of the setpoint device 20 to exert a detectable Au action by the 2D setpoint interface and indirectly designate a symbol among those contained in the list of predetermined symbols stored in the memory 12a of the electronic device 10. The user U can thus specify a virtual displacement of the index Ix designating a symbol in said list p ar compared to the current value of said index designating the symbol associated with a character of the candidate word WCD which is delivered by the rendering interface 1D of the electronic device 10.

Thus, as indicated by way of nonlimiting example in FIG. 4, a graphical interface delivered by the 2D interface may consist of one or more coding wheels Rj having a plurality of steps or relative increments of the index designating a symbol. in said ordered list of possible symbols. The value of said relative step chosen by the user U consists of a user input data id2 delivered by the 2D setpoint interface translating the action U of the user U via the 2D setpoint interface. Said input data id2 constitutes a component or all of the setpoint information IC. Such IC information thus consists of data relating to an index designating a symbol associated with a character of the candidate word. Thus, even if IC setpoint information is maliciously intercepted, without knowledge of the WCD candidate word, it is impossible to reproduce a relevant WCH challenge word. The graphic interface IDV described in connection with FIG. 4 is only a non-limiting example. Such an IDV interface could comprise only one coding wheel or any other graphic representation, for example one or more pushbuttons crediting a counter whose final value determines a relative increment or step, that is an integer, positive, zero or negative value. .

The invention furthermore provides an embodiment of a system according to the invention according to which the reference interface 2D of the reference device 20 can be reduced to its simplest expression, for example in the form of a single virtual or physical button. According to this embodiment, the setpoint information IC is summed up to a characteristic value translating a stop order of a scroll of symbols, character by character WCDj of the candidate word WCD, delivered by the interface 1D of the electronic device 10 Such scrolling is implemented by the rendering interface 1D of said electronic device 10 under the influence of commands from rendering odl produced by the processing unit 11 of the same electronic device 10. Thus, according to this embodiment, after generating a candidate word WCD in step 121 of a method 100, as described in connection with the 2 and implemented by the processing unit 11, the step 122 of said method 100 causing the restitution of said candidate word WCD to the user U by the rendering interface 1D, is arranged so that the restitution commands odl cause an iterative replacement of the symbol associated with a character of the candidate word WCD by one of the predetermined symbols provided by the ordered list of possible symbols. The current content of the word WCD candidate becomes dynamic under the action of scrolling. When the user U perceives a relevant symbol for said character WCDj of the candidate word WCD, the user U can operate the setpoint interface 2D of the reference device 20, for example a virtual or physical pushbutton. The setpoint information IC is then encoded as a setpoint message Me and then transmitted in a step 220 of a method 200 implemented by the processing unit 21 of the setpoint device 20. On receipt of said message Me by the communication means 14 of the electronic device 10, the step 123 of the method 100 allows the processing unit 11 of said device 10 to decode said message Me and to deduce said setpoint information IC. step

124 of said method 100 develops a challenge word WCH whose character is associated with the symbol which is itself associated with the character of the same rank of the candidate word WCD. Step 125 thus consists in stopping the scrolling to freeze the symbol selected by the user U and then replacing it with a neutral symbol. A next character of the candidate word WCD is then selected and concerned by scrolling symbols and so on until all the characters of the candidate word WCD have been selected. Step 130 developing the word WCH challenge is implemented as previously mentioned in connection with Figure 2. The invention has been described through a preferred example in connection with Figures 1 to 4, according to which an electronic device 10 consists of an electronic watch and a setpoint device 20 consists of a smart phone. Any other type of electronic object could be exploited as soon as it can be adapted to implement a method 200 for developing a set of information IC or for developing a challenge word WCH according to FIG. 'invention. In addition, we presented a secret word S, a candidate word WCD and a challenge word WCH whose respective contents comprise four characters each associated with an alphanumeric symbol. We recall that the invention can not be limited by this single example. Any other word size and any other type of symbol could be exploited to implement the invention. It is the same for the examples of IDV graphics rendering allowing a user U to choose a relative increment.

Claims

Method (100) for developing a challenge word (WCH) implemented by a processing unit (11) of an electronic device (10) further comprising a rendering interface (1D), control means (16) of said rendering interface (1D), first communication means (14) for cooperating with a setpoint device (20), first storage means (12) and a sensor (17) for cooperating with the user (U) of said electronic device (10) and measuring a physiological magnitude of said user (U), said control means (16) of said rendering interface (1D), said first communication means (14), said first means of storage (12) and said sensor (17) cooperating with said processing unit (11), said method (100) being characterized in that it comprises:

a step for collecting, analyzing the information delivered by the sensor (17) and certifying that the electronic device is in close proximity to said user (U);

a step (121) for producing a candidate word (WCD, WCD ') comprising a character

(WCD1, WCDm) consisting of a value selected from an ordered list (12a) of n predetermined symbols (SI, S2, ..., Sn) individually designated by the value of an index

(Ix), n being an integer greater than one, said list being stored in the first storage means (12); a step (122) for triggering the control means (16) of the rendering interface (1D) and restoring said candidate word (WCD) by said interface (1D);

a step (123) for receiving a setpoint message (Me), via said first communication means (14), and for decoding such a message (Me) and deriving a setpoint information (IC) produced by said device from setpoint (20);

a step (130) for producing the challenge word (WCH) whose character (WCHj) of a given rank (j) consists (124) in one of the predetermined symbols (SI, S2, ..., Sn) contained in said ordered list (12a), said symbol being designated by an index value (Ixcj) which is a function of that (Ixdj) designating the value of the character (WCDj) of the candidate word (WCD) of the same rank (j) and set information (IC).

Method (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the step (130) for producing the challenge word (WCH) further comprises writing the value of said challenge word (WCH) produced in the first memory means (12, 12e) .

Method according to the preceding claim, comprising a step for replacing the value of the challenge word (WCH) written in the first storage means (12, 12e) by a predetermined value characterizing an erasure if the step for collecting, analyzing the information delivered by the sensor (17) attests that the electronic device is not in close proximity to said user (U).

Method (100) according to the preceding claim, comprising a step (122) for preparing a solicitation message (Md) for the setpoint device (20) and for triggering the transmission of said solicitation message (Md) by the first means communication (14).

A method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electronic device (10) further comprises second communication means (15) for cooperating with a third party entity (30) requiring an authentication procedure on the basis of the word challenge (WCH), said method (100) comprising:

a step (110), prior to step (121) for producing a candidate word (WCD), for receiving, via the second communication means (15), an incoming message (Mi) transmitted by said third party entity (30); ) requiring the production of the word challenge (WCH), for decoding said message (Mi) and deriving an identifier from said third entity (30);

a step (140), subsequent to the step (130) for producing said challenge word (WCH), for preparing an outgoing message (MB) encoding the challenge word (WCH) and for triggering the transmission thereof (Mo ) by the second communication means (15). A process according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 3, wherein

the steps (121, 130) for respectively producing a candidate word (WCD, WCD ') and / or the challenge word (WCH) are implemented only if the value of the challenge word

(WCH) inscribed in the first storage means (12, 12e) is equal to the predetermined value characterizing an erasure;

the step (140) for producing an outgoing message (MB) consists in reading the value of the word challenge (WCH) in the first memory means (12, 12e) prior to the encoding of the latter to produce the outgoing message (MB)

The method of claim 5, wherein the step (140) for developing an outgoing message (MB) is implemented only if the step of collecting, analyzing the information delivered by the sensor (17) attests that the electronic device is in close proximity to said user (U).

A method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the candidate word (WCD) and the challenge word (WCH) comprise a plurality of characters respectively associated with one of the symbols selected from the ordered list (12a) of predetermined symbols (SI, S2, ..., Sn).

Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a step (125) for triggering the control means (16) of the rendering interface (1D) and restore by said interface (1D) the character (WCHj) of the word challenge (WCH) produced (124) in place of the character (WCDj) of the same rank (j) of the candidate word (WCD) then, at the expiration of a determined waiting time (T2), trigger the control means (16) of the rendering interface (1D) and restore by said interface (1D) a neutral symbol in place and place of said character (WCHj).

A method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the step

(124) to produce a character (WCHj) of the challenge word (WCH) of a given rank (j) consists of

(124) by the value of the character (WCDj) of the candidate word (WCD) of the same rank (j) if no set message (Me) is received by the first communication means (14) at the end of a waiting time (Tl) determined from the transmission of the solicitation message (Md).

A method (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the set information (IC) has a value translating a relative step with respect to the index value (Ix) designating the predetermined symbol associated with a character ( WCDj) of the candidate word (SI, S2, Sn).

Method (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the step for producing a character (WCHj) of a given rank (j) of the word challenge (WCH) consists (124) in choosing one of the predetermined symbols (SI, S2, Sn) contained in said an ordered list (12a), said symbol being designated by an index value (Ixcj) which is the sum, modulo the number n of predetermined symbols in said list, of the index value (Ixdj) designating the predetermined symbol of the character (WCDj) of the candidate word (WCD) of the same rank (j) and of the value representing the relative pitch included in the setpoint information (IC).

Computer program product (PI) having program instructions which, when:

previously stored in second storage means (13) of an electronic device (10) comprising a processing unit (11), first storage means (12), a reproduction interface (1D), control means ( 16) of said rendering interface (1D), communication means (14, 15) for cooperating with a third device, a sensor (17) for cooperating with the user (U) of said electronic device (10) and measuring a physiological magnitude of said user (U), said control means (16), said communication means (14,15), said sensor (17) and said storage means (12,13) cooperating with said processing unit (11) ;

performed or interpreted by said processing unit (11),

cause the implementation of a method (100) for developing a challenge word (WCH) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. Electronic device (10) comprising a processing unit (11), storage means (12, 13), a reproduction interface (1D), control means (16) of said reproduction interface (1D), communication means (14, 15) for cooperating with a third device, a sensor (17) for cooperating with the user (U) of said electronic device (10) and measuring a physiological magnitude of said user

(U) said control means (16), said sensor (17), said communication means (14,15) and said storage means (12,13) cooperating with said processing unit (11), said electronic device ( 10) being characterized in that it comprises in the storage means (13), the instructions of a computer program product (PI) according to claim 13. 15. Electronic device (10) according to the preceding claim, consisting in an electronic watch whose rendering interface (1D) consists of the screen thereof. 16. System for developing a challenge word (WCH) comprising an electronic device (10) according to claim 14 or 15 and a setpoint device capable of transmitting a setpoint message (Me) encoding a setpoint information (IC). said setpoint information (IC) being interpretable by said electronic device (10) to produce the challenge word (WCH) according to a method according to any one of claims 1 to 12. System according to the preceding claim, further comprising a third entity (30) requiring an authentication procedure based on the word challenge (WCH), said entity (30) cooperating with said electronic device (10).