JP2002149601A - System for managing password of personal computer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily get to know a password while keeping the security privacy of a personal computer in the case of forgetting the password required for starting the OS of the personal computer. SOLUTION: A password database 23 stores the password required for starting the OS of the user personal computer 11 and the information of the user, and a voice database 24 stores information required for answering by a voice server 22. A WWW server 21 manages the password of the computer 11 unitarily with the database 23. The server 22 answers to a speech from the user by a public telephone set 12 with voice and communicates information with the WWW server. When access occurs from the user 10 by the public telephone set, user information heard by the voice server is given to the WWW server, which refers to the user information stored in the password database. When individual authentication is finished, the voice server informs the user of the password.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a personal computer password management system for coping with a case where a password of a personal computer is forgotten.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since personal computers are often used personally, in order to maintain the security of the information held by the personal computer, the OS must be started unless a password is entered into the personal computer. May have been. However, when starting up the personal computer, the user forgets the password set by the user and cannot start up the personal computer.
Such users are often seen by the elderly, as well as those who do not use the PC frequently or forget them. As a means of self-defense, it is common to write down the password on paper.

[0003]

However, as described above, if the password is written on paper, if the password is forgotten, the user can easily know the password only by looking at the paper. In exchange, if the paper is stolen along with the personal computer due to burglary damage due to recent picking, etc., there is a danger that passwords will be used incorrectly and the personal computer will be started, and the security and privacy of the personal computer will not be maintained. There is a problem.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a personal computer password management system that can easily know the password and maintain the security and privacy of the personal computer even if the user forgets the personal computer password. Is to do.

[0005]

According to the personal computer / password management system of the present invention, a password required to start up the OS of the personal computer is centrally managed by a neutral password management center, and access to the password management center is controlled. In some cases, receipt of a password is permitted on condition that the user is authenticated.

More specifically, the personal computer / password management system of the present invention employs a personal computer (11 in FIG. 1).
A password database (23 in FIG. 1) storing a password necessary for starting S and user information necessary for specifying the user, and storing information necessary for a response by the voice server. Voice database (Fig. 1
24), a WWW server (21 in FIG. 1) for centrally managing the password of the user personal computer by a password database, a voice database for responding to a call from a user by a public telephone by a voice database, and transmitting information to and from the WWW server. A password management center (20 in FIG. 1) including a voice server (22 in FIG. 1) for transmitting and receiving is provided. When a user accesses the password management center from a public telephone (12 in FIG. 1), the voice server responds. Then, the retrieved user information is transmitted to the WWW server, and the voice server transmits the password to the user by voice on condition that the user is authenticated by referring to the user information stored in the password database.

[0007] In the present invention, first, the OS of the user personal computer
The password required to start up the server and the user information required to identify the user are stored in the password database, and the information required for the response by the voice server is stored in the voice database. When the user accesses the password management center by a public telephone, the voice server responds by voice using the voice database, and transmits the user information retrieved to the WWW server. The WWW server transmits the password stored in the password database to the voice server on condition that the user is authenticated by referring to the user information stored in the password database, and the voice server transmits the password to the user by voice. Thereby, the user can start up the OS of his / her personal computer. Also, in order to maintain double security, even if the user can be authenticated, the WWW server first transmits a password and uses the password to give a password, for example, when there is access from a convenience store terminal. You may do so.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS According to the present invention, user passwords are associated with user information such as a device serial number, are managed collectively in a database, and authentication and security functions are strengthened. in case of,
Information can be obtained (distributed) from the Internet.

[0009]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1 showing one embodiment of the present invention, the personal computer / password management system comprises a user personal computer 11 owned by a user 10 and a WWW of a password management center 20 for centrally managing the password of the user personal computer 11. The server 21 and a convenience store terminal 31 installed in a 24-hour convenience store 30 are connected via the Internet 40. There are many user PCs 11 and convenience store terminals 31 in practice, but only one each is shown for simplification of the drawing.

Further, since the password management center 20 serves as a collective contact for the user, the voice server 22 connected to the public telephone 12 available to the user via the telephone line (free dial) 50, and the WWW server 21
And a voice word database 24 connected to the voice server 22. The voice server 22 responds to the call from the user 10 by the public telephone 12 and transmits the result to the WWW server 21.

The password database 23 stores a password of the user personal computer 11 and information necessary to identify the user (user information). The user information is, for example, a maker name of the user personal computer 11, a manufacturing serial number, a model name, a name and an address of the user 10, and the like. The voice database 24 stores the voice server 2
2 stores the information necessary for the response.

First, the user 10 registers the password of the user's personal computer 11 together with the user information in the password management center 20. This registration is performed by the user 10 calling the password management center 20 via the public telephone 12 and following the voice guidance of the voice server 22.
When the password and the user information are notified, the voice server 22 transmits the information to the WWW server 21, and the WWW server 21 writes the password and the user information in the password database 23.

When the user 10 uses the user personal computer 11, it is necessary to first input a password to the user personal computer 11 and start up the OS. by this,
It is possible to prevent unauthorized use of the user personal computer 11 by others who do not know the password. However, the user 10 may forget the password. In particular, the user 10 who does not use the user personal computer 11 very frequently,
It is often found in the forgetful user 10 including the elderly.

In such a case, a procedure for allowing the user 10 to know the password will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the user 10 contacts the password management center 20 with the public telephone 12 (step S1 in FIG. 2). The voice server 22 of the password management center 20 asks the user 10 for user information such as the manufacturing serial number of the user personal computer 11 by voice guidance in the voice database 24 (step S).
2), the answer is transmitted to the WWW server 21, and the WWW server 21 collates with the user information registered in the password database 23 (step S3). As a result, when the user is authenticated (step S4), the WWW server 21 fetches the password registered in the password database 23 (step S5).

Next, the WW of the password management center 20
The W server 21 is a convenience store terminal 3 for extracting a password.
A special password for operating 1 is transmitted to the voice server 22 (step S6). The voice server 22 informs the public telephone 12 of it. As a result, the password is issued to the user 10.

The user 10 who has obtained the password goes to the convenience store 30 and operates the convenience store terminal 31 using the password to access the password management center 20 via the Internet 40 (step S).
7). The WWW server 21 stores the password database 2
3 (step S4), and sends the password to the convenience store terminal 31 (step S8). Thus, the user 10 can receive the password.

Since the convenience store terminal 31 is installed in a 24-hour convenience store 30 opened in a wide area, the user 1 who notices that he has forgotten his password is
If the user 0 runs immediately to the convenience store 30 and performs the above operation, the user can immediately know the password. In this way, the user 10 who has forgotten the password can know the password, and by starting up the user personal computer 11 with the password,
The user personal computer 11 can be used again.

On the other hand, if the user cannot be authenticated in step S4 (step S4), the WWW server 21 informs the voice server 22 of the fact and the voice server 22
Informs the public telephone 12 that "the password cannot be notified with this user information" (step S9).

It is to be noted that the password is set by the user 1 at the time of personal authentication at the password management center 20 (step S2).
If "0" informs the voice server 22 according to the voice guidance, it can be arbitrarily changed to a new one.

In the above embodiment, the convenience store terminal 31 is used to receive the password from the password management center 20 using the personal identification number, but instead of using the convenience store terminal 31, a personal computer of a family member or an acquaintance is used. Is also good. However, it is premised that the user 10 is given a personal computer password from a family member or an acquaintance.

Further, when the user is successfully authenticated, a password is first given, but this is to maintain double security with the password. A password may be given.

Further, the above-described personal computer / password management may be applied as part of maintenance for a company. In other words, the present invention can be applied to centralized management of security and address management, etc. for departments that provide monitoring services on a company basis.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the password of the personal computer is forgotten, the password can be easily known and the security and privacy of the personal computer can be maintained. Is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a password acquisition process in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 User 11 User personal computer 12 Public telephone 20 Password management center 21 WWW server 22 Voice server 23 Password database 24 Voice database 30 Convenience store 31 Convenience store terminal 40 Internet 50 Telephone network

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A password required to start an OS of a personal computer is centrally managed by a neutral password management center, and when the password management center is accessed, the password is received on condition that the user is authenticated. Personal computer password management system characterized by allowing 2. A password database storing a password required to start an OS of a user personal computer and user information required to identify the user, and storing information required for a response by a voice server. A voice database, a WWW server for centrally managing the password of the user's personal computer by the password database, a voice response to a call from a user by a public telephone by the voice database, and information exchange with the WWW server. Providing a password management center comprising a voice server to perform, when there is access from the user to the password management center by a public telephone, the voice server responds, tells the user information heard to the WWW server,
A personal computer / password management system, wherein the voice server transmits the password to the user by voice on condition that the user is authenticated by referring to user information stored in the password database. 3. The personal computer / password management system according to claim 1, wherein the terminal is a convenience store terminal installed in a convenience store developed in a wide area. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a password is first given when said user can be authenticated, and said password is accepted when said password is accessed by said password management center. Or claim 3
Computer and password management system described in any of the above. 5. The personal computer / password management system according to claim 1, wherein the password can be updated when the user is authenticated. 6. The personal computer password management system according to claim 2, wherein said user information includes a serial number of said personal computer. 7. A procedure for storing a password required to start up an OS of a user personal computer and user information required to identify the user in a password database, and transmitting information required for a response by a voice server to a voice. A database storing procedure, when the user accesses the password management center by a public telephone, the voice server responds with the voice database, and a procedure for transmitting the retrieved user information to a WWW server; A procedure in which the WWW server conveys the password stored in the password database to the voice server, on condition that the user is authenticated by referencing the stored user information; and the voice server transmits the password to the user by voice. Communication procedure. The personal computer password management method.