Authentication hardening with proof of proximity over local connection

A system for authenticating a user, the system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
• transmitting, to a server, a request for a two-factor authentication of a user;
• receiving, based on the request, multi-factor authentication data;
• establishing a short-distance wireless communication link between the system and a registered mobile device;
• generating a verification code derived from the multi-factor authentication data and encrypting the verification code using a public key established for the short-distance wireless communication link to obtain an encrypted verification code, the public key being used to confirm local proximity between the system and the registered mobile device;
• transmitting, via the short-distance wireless communication link, the encrypted verification code to the registered mobile device, wherein the registered mobile device provides a confirmation to the server, based on a confidence level, that correct data was decrypted from the encrypted verification code, wherein the confidence level is determined based on (1) a proximity measurement between the system and the registered mobile device and (2) a wireless protocol used for the short-distance wireless communication link;
• and
• obtaining, based on the confirmation, the user with access to a service via the system, wherein the confidence level further requires that the proximity measurement indicates a physical separation less than a predetermined threshold distance, and wherein the system and the registered mobile device perform an authentication automatically without requiring the user to enter any verification code.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage device storing instructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

• transmitting a request for a two-factor authentication of a user;
• receiving, from a server and based on the request, multi-factor authentication data;
• establishing a short-distance wireless communication link between the computing device and a registered mobile device;
• generating a verification code derived from the multi-factor authentication data and encrypting the verification code using a public key established for the short-distance wireless communication link to obtain an encrypted verification code, the public key being used to confirm local proximity between the computing device and the registered mobile device;
• transmitting, via the short-distance wireless communication link, the encrypted verification code to the registered mobile device, wherein the registered mobile device provides a confirmation, based on a confidence level, that correct data was decrypted from the encrypted verification code, wherein the confidence level is determined based on (1) a proximity measurement between the computing device and the registered mobile device and (2) a wireless protocol used for the short-distance wireless communication link;
• and
• obtaining, based on the confirmation, access to a service via the computing device, wherein the confidence level further requires that the proximity measurement indicates a physical separation less than a predetermined threshold distance, and wherein the computing device and the registered mobile device perform an authentication automatically without requiring the user to enter any verification code.