Secondary device audio signal detection authentication method and system

A computer-implemented method of precluding attempts by persons to fraudulently obtain access to secure user data, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a cloud-based authentication system and from a first user via a first computing device, a request to access a secured resource linked to a first user identity, thereby triggering a first authentication process;
• transmitting, from the authentication system and in response to the request, a first audio control signal to the first computing device, the first audio control signal causing the first computing device to perform playback of first audio data via speakers of the first computing device;
• receiving, at the authentication system, a first confirmation message from a second computing device within audio sensor range of the first computing device, the first confirmation message indicating the first audio data was detected by a first microphone of the second computing device;
• receiving, at the authentication system, a second confirmation message from a third computing device within audio sensor range of the first computing device, the second confirmation message indicating the first audio data was detected by a second microphone of the third computing device;
• determining, in response to the receiving more than one confirmation message at the authentication system, that an alternate authentication process must be employed to verify whether the first user has the first user identity;
• and
• requiring, at the first computing device, that the first user either move to a private space or present a non-audio-based authentication token in order to access the secured resource via the first computing device.

A system for authenticating a user seeking access to secured resources, the system comprising a processor and machine-readable media including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

• receive, at a cloud-based authentication system and from a first user via a first computing device, a request to access a secured resource linked to a first user identity;
• transmit, from the authentication system and in response to the request, a first audio control signal to the first computing device, the first audio control signal causing the first computing device to perform playback of first audio data via speakers of the first computing device;
• receive, at the authentication system, a confirmation message from a second computing device within audio sensor range of the first computing device, the confirmation message indicating the first audio data was detected by a microphone of the second computing device;
• determine, in response to the receiving the confirmation message, that the first user has the first user identity;
• and
• thereby grant access to the first user to the secured resource at the first computing device.