JP2002024180A - User authenticating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a user authenticating device for providing a user authentication more improved in security. SOLUTION: This user authenticating device is provided with a first authentication means for collating accounting by account information inputted by a user and a second authentication means for performing a personal identification by keyword information inputted by the user, and the second authentication means is composed of a storage means for storing the plural sets of keyword information composed of the combination of first and second keywords and a deciding means for deciding one set of keyword information inputted by the user is coincident with the keyword information stored in the storage means or not. In addition to the account information of the user ID and the password, plural sets of keyword information composed of the combination of the first and second keywords set and registered by the user are utilized for identity authentication.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user authentication device, and more particularly, to a user authentication device capable of effectively preventing unauthorized use of an information system using account information of another person.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When using an information system, a method is known in which account information including a user ID and a password of a user is input to perform personal authentication.

[0003]

However, in the conventional authentication using only a user ID and a password, if such information is leaked to another person, the account of the user is illegally used by the other person. As a countermeasure, it is common for the information system operator to request the user to change the password regularly, but this is not a fundamental solution to illegal acquisition of the user ID and password. That is the fact. Therefore, the present invention is to solve such a problem of the prior art,
An object of the present invention is to provide a user authentication device that realizes user authentication with higher security.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a user authentication apparatus according to the present invention comprises: first authentication means for verifying an account based on account information input by a user; A second authentication unit for performing personal authentication based on the keyword information input by the user;
Means for storing a plurality of sets of keyword information comprising a combination of a first keyword and a second keyword, one set of keyword information input by a user, and keyword information stored in said storage means And determination means for determining whether or not the data match. As a result, in addition to the account information consisting of the user ID and the password, which was conventionally the only authentication information, a plurality of sets of keyword information consisting of a combination of the first keyword and the second keyword set and registered by the user are authenticated. The security can be further improved. That is, a set of the first keyword and the second keyword can be freely set and registered according to the personal preference and hobby of the user, so that it is extremely difficult for others to predict the confidentiality. User authentication based on keyword information becomes possible.

Here, the first keyword is a plurality of words registered in the user authentication device in advance and presented to the user, and the second keyword corresponds to each of the first keywords. It is preferably a unique word registered by the user. This makes it possible for the user to set and register a combination of the first keyword and the second keyword for convenience. Further, the second authentication means randomly extracts one of the plurality of sets of keyword information, presents the first keyword to the user, and sets a second keyword corresponding to the first keyword. Preferably, input is required. In this way, even if one set of keyword information is leaked to another person, even if another person tries to connect using the illegally acquired keyword information, another group is set by the user authentication device. Is extracted at random and the input of the second keyword is requested.
It is possible to prevent unauthorized connection.

It is to be noted that an example of a preferable combination of the first keyword and the second keyword is that the first keyword is a word of a superordinate concept, and the second keyword is a subordinate concept of which the user arbitrarily registers. Word.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an example of a system configuration using a user authentication device according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, a user authentication device 1 includes a transmission / reception control unit 11 for transmitting / receiving data to / from a user, a first storage unit 12 for storing account information of a plurality of users, and an account input by a user. A first determination unit for determining whether or not the information matches the account information stored in the first storage unit, and a plurality of sets of keyword information including a combination of a first keyword and a second keyword are stored. Second storage means 14
And a set of keyword information input by the user and the second
And a second determination unit 15 for determining whether or not the keyword information matches the keyword information stored in the storage unit 14. Also, 2
Reference numeral 0 denotes a user terminal, which can be connected to the transmission / reception control means 11 via an arbitrary communication line. The user authentication device 1 is provided at a stage preceding the information system 2 and permits connection of the user terminal 20 to the information system 2 when user authentication is correctly performed.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the data structure of the first storage means 12, in which a user ID and a password are stored for each user as in the case of personal authentication using ordinary account information. Note that the user ID and the password in FIG. 2 are conceptually described for convenience of explanation, and it goes without saying that the actual account information is more specific and individual for each user.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the data structure of the second storage means 14. In the present embodiment, for each user, a plurality of sets of keyword information including a combination of a first keyword (“keyword I” in FIG. 3) and a second keyword (“keyword II” in FIG. 3) are stored. I have. In addition,
The keywords I and II in FIG. 3 are conceptually described for convenience of explaining that a plurality of sets of keyword information are stored for each user. Actual keyword information is described below. Be more specific and individual for each user.

FIG. 4 shows a specific example of keyword information set by a certain user ("user 1") and registered in the second storage means. In this example, as the keyword I,
"Island", "vegetation", "city", "spouse maiden name", "favorite color", "food", "father's favorite", "convenience store",
Words of superordinate concepts such as "baseball", "cold", "golf", "China", "movie", "novel", etc. are stored. "Maui", "Potos", "Luoyang", "Yamada", "Light yellow", "Imakawa-yaki", "Iwashi", "Sports newspaper", "Nomo", "Tonsils" , "English Open", "Forbidden City", "Casablanca", "Kaoru Takamura", etc. are stored. In the present embodiment, for example, the keyword I is registered in advance in the user authentication device 1, and when the user first connects to the user authentication device 1, the keyword I is transmitted to the user via the user terminal 20. Can be presented.
This makes it possible for the user to set a unique word corresponding to each of the presented keywords I as the keyword II and register it as a convenience.

The operation of the system using the user authentication device configured as described above will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, an example will be described in which a certain user (“user 1”) connects to the information system 2 using the user terminal 20 and uses a service.

FIG. 5 shows an operation flow. First, the user authentication device 1 requests the user to input the user account information including the user ID and the password in order to perform the authentication process using the account information (S
101).

FIG. 6 shows an example of an account information input screen displayed on a display (not shown) of the user terminal 20 at this time. The user describes his / her own user ID (“someone”) and password (for convenience of explanation) as they are by input means such as a keyboard, but in reality, “*************” is used. Is displayed in a predetermined input box, and transmitted to the user authentication device 1.

The user authentication device 1 includes a transmission / reception control unit 11
The received account information is received through (S1)
02). Then, the first determination unit 13 determines whether the input account information matches the account information of the user registered in the first storage unit 12 (S103). If they do not match, the user authentication device 1
Refuses the connection to the information system 2 (S104).
On the other hand, if they match, the processing shifts to authentication processing using the next keyword information.

First, the user authentication device 1 requests the user to input keyword information consisting of a combination of the keywords I and II in order to perform an authentication process using the keyword information (S105). In this case, the user authentication device 1 refers to the keyword information on the user stored in the second storage unit 14 and randomly extracts one (for example, “city”) from the plurality of keywords I. Then, the information may be transmitted to the user terminal 20.

FIG. 7 shows an example of a keyword information input screen displayed on a display (not shown) of the user terminal 20 at this time. The user can input the keyword I which has already been set and registered by the user using input means such as a keyboard.
A combination of ("city") and keyword II ("Ruoyang") is entered in each of the predetermined input boxes and transmitted to the user authentication device 1. Note that the user authentication device 1
When one keyword I is transmitted to the user terminal 20,
The user must select a keyword to be paired with the keyword I
Only II can be input and transmitted to the user authentication device 1.

The user authentication device 1 includes a transmission / reception control unit 11
The input keyword information is received via (S1).
06). Then, the second determination unit 15 determines whether or not the input keyword information matches the keyword information of the user registered in the second storage unit 14 (S107). If they do not match, the user authentication device 1
Refuses the connection to the information system 2 (S104).
On the other hand, if they match, the connection to the information system 2 is permitted for the first time (S108). Thus, the two-step user authentication procedure based on the account information and the keyword information is completed.

The user authentication device according to the above-described embodiment is programmed to perform the above-described authentication process using the desired account information and the authentication process using the keyword information, and a part of the hardware resources included in the information system 2. Alternatively, the program may be executed using a hardware resource separate from this.

In addition, for the convenience of the user, or in the event that the keyword information is leaked to another person, the user can change, add, or delete the keyword information set and registered first at any time thereafter. Needless to say, the user authentication device 1 may be configured so as to be able to do so.

As is apparent from the above description of the embodiment, the user authentication device according to the present invention is applied to an information system for providing services to users via a network such as a public line, a dedicated line and / or the Internet. On the other hand, user authentication with higher security can be realized.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made within the scope of the technical idea described in the appended claims.

[0023]

As described above, the user authentication device of the present invention uses the first authentication means for performing account matching based on the account information input by the user and the keyword information input by the user. The second to perform personal authentication
The second authentication means includes a storage means for storing a plurality of sets of keyword information composed of a combination of the first keyword and the second keyword, and a set of keyword information input by a user. Since the determination unit determines whether or not the keyword information matches the keyword information stored in the storage unit, user authentication with higher security can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing a system configuration example using a user authentication device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a first storage unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a data structure of a second storage unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a specific example of keyword information set by a certain user (“user 1”) and registered in a second storage unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation flow of the system configuration example shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an account information input screen.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a keyword information input screen.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 User authentication device 2 Information system 11 Transmission / reception control means 12 First storage means 13 First determination means 14 Second storage means 15 Second determination means 20 User terminal

Claims (4)

[Claims] A first authentication unit for performing account matching based on account information input by a user; and a second authentication unit performing personal authentication based on keyword information input by the user. Means for storing a plurality of sets of keyword information comprising a combination of a first keyword and a second keyword, one set of keyword information input by a user, and keyword information stored in said storage means A user authentication device comprising: a determination unit configured to determine whether or not there is a match. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first keyword is a plurality of words registered in advance in the user authentication device and presented to a user, and the second keyword is
A user authentication device, which is a unique word registered by a user corresponding to each of the first keywords. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second authentication means randomly extracts one of the plurality of sets of keyword information and presents the first keyword to a user. Requesting the input of the second keyword corresponding to the user authentication device. 4. The user according to claim 2, wherein the first keyword is a word of a higher concept, and the second keyword is a word of a lower concept arbitrarily registered by the user. Authentication device.