Mobile device enabled desktop tethered and tetherless authentication

An apparatus, comprising:

• a first receiving and storing processor configured to receive and store, at a cloud universal identification server having a digital storage, a plurality of identifying attributes associated with a user and one or more identifying attributes associated with a computing device;
• wherein the receiving and storing processor is further configured to receive and store, at the cloud universal identification server, registration information that associates a mobile device with the plurality of identifying attributes associated with the user;
• wherein the receiving and storing processor is further configured to receive, during a login process to the computing device associated with the user, receiving, at the cloud universal identification server, a request to authenticate the login process at the computing device,
• the request being received from credential provider code that was previously installed on the computing device,
• wherein the credential provider code was previously configured to recognize the mobile device, and
• wherein the request indicates that the mobile device was selected for authentication purposes;
• a confirming processor configured to confirm, at the cloud universal identification server, the identity of computing device of the request for authentication by positively matching the identity of the computing device with one of previously registered computing devices, registered at the cloud universal identification server;
• a retrieving processor configured to retrieve, from a database, a protocol for communicating with the mobile device, in response to the request indicating that the mobile device was selected for authentication purposes;
• a transmitting processor configured to transmit, by the cloud universal identification server and in accordance with the retrieved protocol, at least three authentication factors associated with the user, the at least three authentication factors for delivery to the mobile device, and the at least three authentication factors obtained or derived from authentication factors associated with the user previously stored in the storage of the cloud universal identification server;
• wherein the transmitting processor is further configured to transmit, upon receiving, at the cloud universal identification server and originating from the mobile device, data that satisfies the at least three authentication factors for delivery to the credential provider code of the computing device, the authentication data causing the login process to be successful;
• and
• at least one memory operable to store computer program instructions executable by at least one of said processors.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, said computer program comprising a program code which, when executed by a processor, performs the steps of:

• receiving and storing, at a cloud universal identification server having a digital storage, a plurality of identifying attributes associated with a user and one or more identifying attributes associated with a computing device;
• receiving and storing, at the cloud universal identification server, registration information that associates a mobile device with the plurality of identifying attributes associated with the user;
• during a login process to the computing device associated with the user, receiving, at the cloud universal identification server, a request to authenticate the login process at the computing device,
• the request being received from credential provider code that was previously installed on the computing device,
• wherein the credential provider code was previously configured to recognize the mobile device, and
• wherein the request indicates that the mobile device was selected for authentication purposes;
• confirming, at the cloud universal identification server, the identity of computing device of the request for authentication by positively matching the identity of the computing device with one of previously registered computing devices, registered at the cloud universal identification server;
• in response to the request indicating that the mobile device was selected for authentication purposes, retrieving, from a database, a protocol for communicating with the mobile device;
• transmitting, by the cloud universal identification server and in accordance with the retrieved protocol, at least three authentication factors associated with the user, the at least three authentication factors for delivery to the mobile device, and the at least three authentication factors obtained or derived from authentication factors associated with the user previously stored in the storage of the cloud universal identification server;
• and
• upon receiving, at the cloud universal identification server and from the mobile device, data that satisfies the at least three authentication factors, transmitting for delivery to the credential provider code of the computing device, authentication data causing the login process to be successful.