Quorum-based secure authentication
AssigneeImprivata, Inc.
InventorsEdward J. Gaudet, David M. T. Ting
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Representative embodiments of secure authentication to a resource in accordance with a predefined, electronically stored quorum-based authentication policy include causing electronic interaction among multiple devices that constitute a quorum in accordance with the policy, computationally determining whether the interaction satisfies the policy, and if so, electronically according access to the resource to one or more individuals associated with the interacting device(s).
Claims16
A method of controlling access to a resource in accordance with a predefined, electronically stored quorum-based authentication policy, the method comprising:
- computationally generating a final key satisfying the authentication policy;
- splitting the final key into at least three keys;
- and
- transmitting each of the at least three keys to a different electronic device associated with a user thereof, the at least three devices (i) not including the resource and (ii) constituting a quorum in accordance with the authentication policy, whereby electronic interaction among the at least three devices produces the final key.
A method of terminating access to a resource in accordance with a predefined, electronically stored quorum-based authentication policy, the method comprising:
- causing electronic interaction among at least three devices each associated with a user thereof, the at least three interacting devices (i) not including the resource and (ii) constituting a quorum in accordance with the authentication policy, each of the devices contributing a key to another of the devices whereby a final key is produced and contains all of the contributed keys in an order specified by the authentication policy;
- computationally determining whether the final key satisfies the authentication policy;
- and
- when the final key satisfies the authentication policy, terminating any previously granted access to the resource.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.