JPS63155282A - Checking method for password number - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the need to communicate with a host computer so as to check a password number by using at least check a digit for checking the password number. CONSTITUTION:A terminal device 1 has a keyboard 2 and a microprocessor 3 and is connected to a center host computer 5 through a communication line 4. At least one check digit is used to check the password number. This check digit is inputted together with essential input information other than the password so that a user is unaware, and it is checked in the terminal device 1 whether or not the check digit and a manually inputted password number are in predetermined relation, thereby checking the password number.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a terminal device that requires identification based on a password number, and particularly relates to checking a manually input password number.

[Conventional technology]

Checking PIN numbers is essential both to prevent unauthorized access and to correct input errors. A commonly used password checking method is to read a password recorded on a recording medium such as a magnetic card owned by an operator and compare it with a manually entered password. Other methods include sending the manually entered PIN to a central host computer, where it is checked against a list of PINs;
Possible methods include storing the intended user's password in each terminal device and comparing it with the manually entered password. JP-A-58-169286 shows one improved method. According to this method, a value obtained by subjecting a part of a personal identification number to a certain calculation is recorded on the magnetic card. The part of the PIN entered by the key is subjected to the certain calculation within the terminal device, the result is compared with the value recorded on the magnetic card, and if they match, the remaining part of the PIN is is sent to a central host computer along with other identifying data (eg, account number). The host computer is
The portion of the received password is compared with the corresponding portion of the password retrieved using the other identification data, thereby completing the check of the password.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

°Password numbers recorded on magnetic cards and the like can be read out relatively easily using appropriate equipment such as microcomputers, so methods that use cards with password numbers recorded lack security. The method of sending the entire PIN number to the host computer is not only disadvantageous in that it increases the amount of communication with the central office, but it is also unsafe because there is a risk that the PIN number will be known to others by eavesdropping on the communication line. In addition, the method of storing the PIN number in each terminal device is time-consuming because it is necessary to set the PIN number of each intended user in each terminal device in advance, and in addition, it lacks flexibility. Although the method described in the publication is highly secure, it requires an increased amount of communication with the central office, and it takes a long time to obtain the check results.

The present invention does not use a PIN number recording medium such as a magnetic card, nor does it require communication with a central office.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for checking a password without the need to set special information in each terminal device in advance.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention uses at least one check digit for checking the PIN number. This check digit has a predetermined relationship with the PIN number, and is input together with essential input information other than the PIN number (eg, customer number).

The manually input password is checked by checking whether the above-described predetermined relationship holds true between the password and the check digit.

[Effect]

The check digit is inputted by the user unexpectedly along with the required input information other than the PIN number, and it is checked inside the terminal/device to see if the check digit and the manually input PIN are in the predetermined relationship. PIN code checking is achieved by: There is no need to communicate with the host computer to check the PIN, and there is no need to record the PIN on the card or set special information such as the PIN on each terminal device. do not have.

〔Example〕

In the embodiment described below, the present invention is applied to a simple ordering terminal device installed in a retail store such as a tobacco shop. For this type of terminal device, in addition to preventing unauthorized use, it is important to note that incorrect input is likely to occur due to users being unfamiliar with keyboard operations, and to prevent misremembering or forgetting the PIN number, it is necessary to carefully select the correct number for each use. There are problems such as it is desirable to leave the order to the individual's discretion and the price should be as low as possible.6 FIG. 2 shows an outline of an example of an order receiving system including the terminal device as described above. Each terminal device 1 has a keyboard 2 and a microprocessor 3. A large number of such terminal devices 1 are connected to a central host computer 5 via a communication line 4. The user of the terminal device 1 must input the store number and password using the keyboard 1 to start the operation.

FIG. 3 shows the format of the store number information. The store number information 6 is a one-digit number, and the first to nth
- The two digits are numbers uniquely assigned to each store as its identification code.

The nth digit is a check digit 7 added to check the PIN number according to the present invention, and the (n-1)th digit is an additional check digit 8 for checking the store number information input including the check digit 7. It is. The store number information 6 is determined by the central administrator and notified to each store. This information does not necessarily need to be kept secret and may be distributed to all stores, for example in the form of a list.

The relationship between each PIN number and the corresponding check digit 7 may be of any kind as long as it can be confirmed using an algorithm common to all stores.

In this example, check digit 7 is.

The value is equal to the lowest digit of the sum of the numbers in each digit of the PIN number. For example, if your PIN number is 234567,
The sum of its digits is 27, so its check digit is 7. A password can be checked by adding up each digit of the number and comparing the least significant digit of the sum with the check digit.

The additional check digit 8 is determined from the first to n-2 digit store identification number and the check digit 7 in the same manner as described above. The store number information can be checked by comparing the least significant digit of the sum of the first to (n-2)th digits and the zeroth digit with the (n-1st) digit. A slightly different method is to determine additional check digit 8 such that the least significant digit of the sum of each digit of the dealer identification number (digits 1 through n-2) and additional check digit 8 is equal to check digit 7. In this case, the check can be performed by comparing the least significant digit of the sum of the first to (n-1)th digits with the 0th digit.

FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the checking process performed in the terminal device 11. First, the operator inputs the store number information 6 using the keyboard 2. As shown in FIG. This information is taken in by the store number reception process 10, and its 0th digit (check digit 7) is stored in a register or memory in the microprocessor 3 by the check digit storage process 11. By the check calculation process 12, the first to n-2th store number information 6
The least significant digit of the sum of the digits and 0th digit is calculated.

The result is determined by the store number check process 13.

It is compared with the n-1st digit. If the result of this comparison indicates a mismatch, the store number information is prompted to be re-entered, and if re-entered, processes 10 to 13 are repeated.

On the other hand, if the comparison result in the store number checking process 13 shows a match, the system waits for the input of the password.

When the PIN number is input via the keyboard 2, it is taken in by the PIN acceptance process 14, and the least significant digit of the total of each digit is calculated by the PIN check calculation process 15, and the result is entered into the PIN code. A number check process 16 compares the stored check digit 7 with the stored check digit 7.

If the result of this comparison shows a mismatch, the user is prompted to re-enter the password, and if re-entered, processes 14 to 16 are repeated.

On the other hand, if the result of this comparison indicates a match, the next scheduled process, such as transmission to the host computer or reception of other input, is started according to the program.

If the information including the check digit is also checked as in this embodiment, the check digit itself is also checked through the checking, thereby increasing reliability. Store number information does not need to be kept secret and is not necessarily an easy-to-remember number, so if cost permits, a magnetic card with the information recorded on it or other media may be used.Information including a check digit You may enter your PIN number first.

However, this not only makes the process a little more complicated, but it may be unpleasant for the user to have an error in previously input information pointed out after inputting other information.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, there is no need to record the PIN number on a medium such as a magnetic card, so there is no risk of the PIN number being known to others due to unauthorized reading of the card, and the PIN number is not sent to the host computer. Because there is no need for it, there is no increase in communication volume, there is no leakage due to eavesdropping, and there is no need to register a PIN number in each terminal device in advance.
The configurations of all terminal devices included in the system can be made completely the same. Furthermore, since the check digit is integrated with information other than the PIN number, there is no increase in the number of digits in the PIN number, and each person can freely select all digits of the PIN number.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a flowchart of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an order receiving system using the embodiment of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a format of store number information used in the system of Fig. 2. This is a diagram. 1...Terminal device, 2...Keyboard, 3...Microprocessor, 10.11...Step of inputting store number information including check digit, 14...Step of inputting password, 15. 16...Password check step.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a terminal device that requires the input of a password and at least one other predetermined information, the inputted predetermined information and at least one digit added thereto; a first input step for accepting a check digit of
A password checking method comprising: a second input step of accepting the manually input password; and a step of checking whether the check digit and the password have a predetermined relationship. 2. In claim 1, the predetermined information further includes at least one second check digit, and the first input step includes inputting the predetermined information, the check digit, and the second check digit. A method for checking a PIN number, comprising the step of checking whether two check digits have a predetermined relationship.