Mobile device-based keypad for enhanced security

Apparatus operative in association with a transaction terminal, the transaction terminal having a physical keypad adapted to receive a user credential to enable an authorized access to the transaction terminal, the physical keypad being untrusted, comprising:

• a processor;
• a display;
• computer memory holding computer program instructions executed by the processor, the computer program instructions comprising:
• program code, operative upon detecting an access request and without requiring a trust relationship to be established in advance between the apparatus and the transaction terminal, to attempt to establish an authentication channel between the apparatus and the transaction terminal;
• program code operative in response to successful establishment of the authentication channel between the apparatus and the transaction terminal, to provide a notification to a user of the apparatus that the transaction terminal is trusted irrespective of the physical keypad being untrusted;
• program code to provide a representation of the physical keypad on the display, the representation being a virtual keypad that corresponds to the physical keypad and is trusted;
• program code operative to receive data input via the representation of the physical keypad, the data being at least part of the user credential and being received in lieu of direct entry via the physical keypad;
• and
• program code operative to forward the data to the transaction terminal for verification of the authorized access.

A computer program product in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for use operative in a mobile device having a display the mobile device operative in association with a transaction terminal, the transaction terminal having a physical keypad adapted to receive a user credential to enable an authorized access to the transaction terminal, the physical keypad being untrusted, the computer program product holding computer program instructions executed by a hardware processor, the computer program instructions comprising:

• program code operative upon detecting an access request and without requiring a trust relationship to be established in advance between the mobile device and the transaction terminal, to attempt to establish an authentication channel between the mobile device and the transaction terminal;
• program code operative in response to successful establishment of the authentication channel between the mobile device and the transaction terminal, to provide a notification to a user of the mobile device that the transaction terminal is trusted irrespective of the physical keypad being untrusted;
• program code to provide a representation of the physical keypad on the display, the representation being a virtual keypad that corresponds to the physical keypad and is trusted;
• program code operative to receive data input via the representation of the physical keypad, the data being at least part of the user credential and being received in lieu of direct entry via the physical keypad;
• and
• program code operative to forward the data to the transaction terminal for verification of the authorized access.

A transaction terminal having a physical keypad associated therewith adapted to receive a user credential to enable an authorized access, the physical keypad being untrusted, comprising:

• a hardware processor;
• computer memory holding computer program instructions executed by the hardware processor, the computer program instructions comprising:
• program code operative upon detecting an access request initiated from a mobile device and without requiring a trust relationship to be established in advance between the mobile device and the transaction terminal, to attempt to establish an authentication channel between the mobile device and the transaction terminal;
• program code operative upon successful establishment of the authentication channel between the mobile device and the transaction terminal, to receive data from the mobile device, and to attempt to verify the data and permit the authorized access, the data being received from the mobile device following (i) providing of a notification to a user at the mobile device that the transaction terminal is trusted irrespective of the physical keypad being untrusted, and (ii) receipt of the data input via a representation of the physical keypad rendered on a display associated with the mobile device, the representation being a virtual keypad on the mobile device that corresponds to the physical keypad and is trusted.