Variable authentication process and system

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a server computer and during a first transaction that uses a first account of a first user, a first personal identifier verification request message from an authentication computer, wherein the first personal identifier verification request message comprises a first personal identifier of the first user;
• in response to receiving the first personal identifier verification request message, determining, by the server computer, a first authentication process to perform from among a plurality of authentication processes comprising the first authentication process and a second authentication process,
• wherein the first authentication process comprises verifying that the received first personal identifier of the first user matches a stored first personal identifier of the first user, generating a first authentication indicator when the received first personal identifier of the first user matches the stored first personal identifier of the first user, and transmitting the generated first authentication indicator to the authentication computer, and
• the second authentication process comprises storing a second personal identifier of the first user in a database, generating a second authentication indicator, forwarding the second authentication indicator to the authentication computer, which then transmits the second authentication indicator and a first primary account identifier to a service provider computer, receiving a first authorization request message comprising the first primary account identifier and the second authentication indicator from the service provider computer, retrieving the second personal identifier of the first user from the database, modifying the first authorization request message to include the second personal identifier of the first user, and transmitting the first authorization request message to a first issuer computer which receives the second personal identifier of the first user, where the first issuer computer verifies that the received second personal identifier of the first user is authentic, and
• performing, by the server computer, the first authentication process in response to determining, by the server computer, the first authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes;
• receiving, at the server computer and during a second transaction that uses a second account of a second user, a second personal identifier verification request message from the authentication computer, wherein the second personal identifier verification request message comprises a second personal identifier of the second user;
• in response to receiving the second personal identifier verification request message, determining, by the server computer, the second authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes;
• and
• performing, by the server computer, the second authentication process in response to determining, by the server computer, the second authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes.

A server computer comprising a processor, and a computer readable medium coupled to the processor, the computer readable medium comprising code, for causing the processor to implement a method comprising:

• receiving, during a first transaction that uses a first account of a first user, a first personal identifier verification request message from an authentication computer, wherein the first personal identifier verification request message comprises a first personal identifier of the first user;
• in response to receiving the first personal identifier verification request message, determining, by the server computer, a first authentication process to perform from among a plurality of authentication processes comprising the first authentication process and a second authentication process,
• wherein the first authentication process comprises verifying that the received first personal identifier of the first user matches a stored first personal identifier of the first user, generating a first authentication indicator when the received first personal identifier of the first user matches the stored first personal identifier of the first user, and transmitting the generated first authentication indicator to the authentication computer,
• the second authentication process comprises storing a second personal identifier of the first user in a database, generating a second authentication indicator, forwarding the second authentication indicator to the authentication computer, which then transmits the second authentication indicator and a first primary account identifier to a service provider computer, receiving a first authorization request message comprising the first primary account identifier and the second authentication indicator from the service provider computer, retrieving the second personal identifier of the first user from the database, modifying the first authorization request message to include the second personal identifier of the first user, and transmitting the first authorization request message to a first issuer computer which receives the second personal identifier of the first user, where the first issuer computer verifies that the received second personal identifier of the first user is authentic, and
• performing the first authentication process in response to determining, by the server computer, the first authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes;
• receiving, during a second transaction that uses a second account of a second user, a second personal identifier verification request message from the authentication computer, wherein the second personal identifier verification request message comprises a second personal identifier of the second user;
• in response to receiving the second personal identifier verification request message, determining the second authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes;
• and
• performing the second authentication process in response to determining, by the server computer, the second authentication process to perform from among the plurality of authentication processes.