Method and apparatus for geographic location based electronic security management

An authentication apparatus configured for verifying, validating or otherwise confirming a location of a first device before enabling or allowing an action, the authentication apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the authentication apparatus to at least:

• receive a request, via an authentication session established during a log-in process of a second device, to cause the action;
• send an alert to a first device associated with an account associated with the requested action;
• cause the first device to communicate, via the short-range wireless communication protocol, with the second device to verify a proximity;
• receive verification of the proximity;
• receive, from the second device, a first identifying data originating at the second device, having been used to start the authentication session;
• receive, from the first device, a second identifying data string originating from a trusted agent, configured as software or hardware;
• and
• upon confirmation of a match of the first identifying data string and the second identifying data string, authorize the action.

A computer implemented authentication method for verifying, validating or otherwise confirming a location of a first device before enabling or allowing an action, the method comprising:

• receiving a request, via an authentication session established during a log-in process of a second device, to cause the action;
• sending an alert to a first device associated with an account associated with the requested action;
• causing the first device to communicate, via the short-range wireless communication protocol, with the second device to verify a proximity;
• receiving verification of the proximity;
• receiving, from the second device, a first identifying data originating at the second device, having been used to start the authentication session;
• receiving, from the first device, a second identifying data string originating from a trusted agent, configured as software or hardware;
• and
• upon confirmation of a match of the first identifying data string and the second identifying data string, authorizing the action.

A computer program product configured for verifying, validating or otherwise confirming a location of a first device before enabling or allowing an action, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions for:

• receiving a request, via an authentication session established during a log-in process of a second device, to cause the action;
• sending an alert to a first device associated with an account associated with the requested action;
• causing the first device to communicate, via the short-range wireless communication protocol, with the second device to verify a proximity;
• receiving verification of the proximity;
• receiving, from the second device, a first identifying data originating at the second device, having been used to start the authentication session;
• receiving, from the first device, a second identifying data string originating from a trusted agent, configured as software or hardware;
• and
• upon confirmation of a match of the first identifying data string and the second identifying data string, authorizing the action.