Multi-factor authentication system and method

A keyless entry system including:

• a key fob or smartphone registered as a multi-factor authentication (MFA) device and configured to perform robotic process automation (RPA) using at least one task-executing bot instantiated in the key fob or smartphone;
• and
• system intelligence coupled to a lock that can be selectively locked or unlocked upon being provided with a time-dependent MFA security token, wherein the keyless entry system is configured to:
• in response to a log-in request, originating from the task-executing bot to the system intelligence coupled to the lock, to provide a gatekeeping function for at least one of access to data and storage of data content, receiving at the task-executing bot an MFA challenge from the system intelligence;
• at the task-executing bot and in response to the MFA challenge, acquiring the time-dependent MFA security token from a code generating algorithm associated with a pre-authenticated security bot perceived by the system intelligence to be at a different address than the task-executing bot, the pre-authenticated security bot having undergone a one-time synchronization to the system intelligence at initial set-up of the task-executing bot thereby to support RPA, and wherein during the one-time set-up an association between the pre-authenticated security bot and the task-executing bot is established such that the association validates, to the system intelligence, the pre-authenticated security bot as a secondary device within MFA to automate subsequent MFA to be a computer-based function within an MFA validation system comprising the task-executing bot and the pre-authenticated security bot;
• at the task-executing bot, inserting the time-dependent MFA security token into a reply to the MFA challenge, sending the reply to the system intelligence to enable the lock to selectively lock or unlock.

A computer-implemented method of implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) on a computer configured to perform robotic process automation (RPA) using a task-executing bot instantiated on the computer, the method comprising:

• in response to a log-in request originating from the task-executing bot to a first server configured to provide a gatekeeping function for at least one of access to data and storage of data content required by said task-executing bot to execute a specific task, receiving at the task-executing bot an MFA challenge from the first server;
• at the task-executing bot, in response to the MFA challenge, acquiring a time-dependent MFA security token from a code generating algorithm associated with an independent pre-authenticated security bot perceived by the first server to be at a different address to the task-executing bot, the pre-authenticated security bot having undergone a one-time synchronization to the first server at initial set-up of the task-executing bot thereby to support RPA, and wherein during the one-time set-up an association between the pre-authenticated security bot and the task-executing bot is established such that the association validates, to the first server, the pre-authenticated security bot as a secondary device within MFA to automate subsequent MFA to be a computer-based function within an MFA validation system comprising the task-executing bot and the pre-authenticated security bot and wherein the pre-authenticated security bot is not involved with execution of the specific task other than to authenticate the task-executing bot;
• and
• at the task-executing bot, inserting the time-dependent MFA security token, acquired from the code generating algorithm associated with the pre-authenticated security bot, into a reply to the MFA challenge and sending the reply to the first server in order to permit the task-executing bot to receive data from the first server and to store data content as required for execution of the specific task.