Method and apparatus for providing authentication using policy-controlled authentication articles and techniques

A method for providing second factor authentication comprising:

• providing, through a user interface, selectability on a per user group basis of a plurality of second factor authentication policies associated with a second factor authentication article that includes sender authentication information located in cells thereon that can be located by using corresponding location information;
• controlling a challenge strength of one group of users to be different from another group of users that both use second factor authentication articles, based on a selected second factor authentication policy from the plurality of second factor authentication policies;
• and
• providing second factor authentication based on the second factor authentication articles for each of the groups by enforcing at least one of the plurality of the selected group policies.

An apparatus for providing second factor authentication comprising:

• one or more processors and
• memory, operatively coupled to the one or more processors, that contains executable instructions that when executed causes the one or more processors to:
• provide selectability of a plurality of second factor authentication policies associated with a second factor authentication article that includes sender authentication information located thereon that can be located by using corresponding location information;
• and
• provide second factor authentication based on the second factor authentication article by enforcing at least one of the plurality of the selected policies.

An apparatus for providing second factor authentication comprising:

• one or more processors and
• memory, operatively coupled to the one or more processors, that contains executable instructions that when executed causes the one or more processors to:
• provide, through a user interface, selectability on at least one of a per user group basis, user basis and transaction type basis of a plurality of second factor authentication policies associated with a second factor authentication card that includes sender authentication information located in cells thereon that can be located by using corresponding location information;
• control a challenge strength of one group of users to be different from another group of user that both use second factor authentication cards, based on a selected second factor authentication policy from the plurality of second factor authentication policies;
• and
• provide second factor authentication based on the second factor authentication cards for each of the groups by enforcing at least one of the plurality of the selected group policies.

An apparatus for providing authentication comprising:

• one or more processors and
• memory, operatively coupled to the one or more processors, that contains executable instructions that when executed causes the one or more processors to:
• provide selectability of a plurality of authentication policies associated with an authentication scheme wherein the policies select differing strength levels for the authentication scheme depending upon a specific user or user group or transaction type;
• and
• provide different strength levels of authentication security for the authentication scheme depending on a specified policy for a given user, group of users, or transaction type.

A method for providing authentication comprising:

• providing, through a user interface, selectability on a per user group basis of a plurality of authentication policies associated with an authentication article that includes sender authentication information located in cells thereon that can be located by using corresponding location information;
• controlling a challenge strength of one group of users to be different from another group of users that both use authentication articles, based on a selected authentication policy from the plurality of authentication policies;
• and
• providing authentication based on the authentication articles for each of the groups by enforcing at least one of the plurality of the selected group policies.

An apparatus for providing authentication comprising:

• one or more processors and
• memory, operatively coupled to the one or more processors, that contains executable instructions that when executed causes the one or more processors to:
• provide selectability of a plurality of authentication policies associated with an authentication article that includes sender authentication information located thereon that can be located by using corresponding location information;
• and
• provide authentication based on the authentication article by enforcing at least one of the plurality of the selected policies.