Continuous authentication system and related methods

A computing device having a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

• detect a request to perform a user action of a plurality of user actions, wherein each of the plurality of user actions has a corresponding type, wherein each type of user action has a security value, wherein the security value of each type of user action is based on a time of inactivity measured from a last user action of the respective type, wherein the security value is gradually increased based on the time of inactivity measured from the last user action of the respective type;
• determine the security value of the requested user action;
• in response to the request to perform the user action, determine a subsequent session security level based on the security value of the requested user action and a session security level;
• in response to a determination that the subsequent session security level is greater than or equal to a threshold session security level, permit the requested user action and adjust the session security level based on the security value of the requested user action;
• and
• in response to a determination that the subsequent session security level is less than the threshold session security level, cause a user authentication challenge:
• in response to a successful user authentication challenge, permit the requested user action and adjust the session security level based on one or both of the security value of the requested user action and a security value of a successful user authentication challenge;
• and
• in response to an unsuccessful user authentication challenge, reject the user action.

A continuous authentication method, comprising:

• detecting a request to perform a user action of a plurality of user actions, wherein each of the plurality of user actions has a corresponding type, wherein each type of user action has a security value, wherein the security value of each type of user action is based on a time of inactivity measured from a last user action of the respective type, wherein the security value is gradually increased based on the time of inactivity measured from the last user action of the respective type;
• determining the security value of the requested user action;
• in response to the request to perform the user action, determining a subsequent session security level based on the security value of the requested user action and a session security level;
• in response to a determination that the subsequent session security level is greater than or equal to a threshold session security level, permitting the requested user action and adjust the session security level based on the security value of the requested user action;
• and
• in response to a determination that the subsequent session security level is less than the threshold session security level, causing a user authentication challenge:
• in response to a successful user authentication challenge, permitting the requested user action and adjust the session security level based on one or both of the security value of the requested user action and a security value of a successful user authentication challenge;
• and
• in response to an unsuccessful user authentication challenge, rejecting the user action.

A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions for execution by a processor of a computing device, wherein the executable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the computing device to:

• detect a request to perform a user action of a plurality of user actions, wherein each of the plurality of user actions has a corresponding type, wherein each type of user action has a security value, wherein the security value of each type of user action is based on a time of inactivity measured from a last user action of the respective type, wherein the security value is gradually increased based on the time of inactivity measured from the last user action of the respective type;
• in response to a determination that a session security level is greater than or equal to a threshold session security level, permit the requested user action and adjust the session security level based on the security value of the requested user action;
• and
• in response to a determination that the session security level is less than the threshold session security level, cause a user authentication challenge:
• in response to a successful user authentication challenge, permit the requested request and adjust the session security level based on one or both of the security value of the requested user action and a security value of a successful user authentication challenge;
• and
• in response to an unsuccessful user authentication challenge, reject the requested user action.