Online payer authentication service

A method performed by an authentication service wherein an account issuer authenticates, for the benefit of a third party, that a customer using an account during an online transaction with said third party is the actual owner of said account, said method comprising:

• receiving, by said issuer, authentication information concerning said customer;
• verifying, by said issuer during a registration process, the identity of said customer as the owner of said account and associating a designated password with said account;
• performing a verification process by said third party during said online transaction to determine whether said customer account is registered;
• receiving an indication responsive to said performing at said third party indicating that said customer account is registered;
• sending an authentication request message via a customer computer from a third-party software module over a network during said online transaction, said request message being sent after said verification process;
• receiving said authentication request message at an access control server that is operated by said issuer;
• requesting over said network, by said issuer, of a password from said customer;
• verifying, by said issuer, that said password entered by said customer matches said password previously designated for said account;
• and
• sending over said network, by said issuer, an authentication response message to a third-party software module, said authentication response message containing an authentication status indicator, said response message being routed via said computer of said customer, whereby said issuer authenticates said customer for said third party.

A method performed by a customer computer used with an authentication service wherein an issuer financial institution authenticates, for the benefit of a third party, that a customer using an account during an online transaction with said third party is the actual owner of said account, said method comprising:

• sending enrollment information to an enrollment web site by said customer during a registration process so that said issuer verifies the identity of said customer as the owner of said account;
• supplying a password to be designated for said account during said registration process;
• performing a verification process by said third party during said online transaction to determine whether said customer account is registered with said authentication service;
• receiving an indication responsive to said performing at said third party indicating that said customer account is registered;
• receiving, by said customer computer after said verification process, an authentication request message from said third party during said online transaction that requests the identity of said customer be authenticated;
• sending said authentication request message to an access control server operated by said issuer financial institution, said customer having an account with said issuer financial institution;
• receiving a request from said access control server for said customer to enter a password used to verify the identity of said customer during said online transaction;
• supplying said password used to verify identity;
• and
• facilitating the sending of an authentication response message from said access control server to said third party via said customer computer regarding the verification of the identity of said customer, whereby said access control server verifies the identity of said customer for said third party.

A method performed by an authentication service wherein an account issuer authenticates a customer for the benefit of a third party, said method comprising:

• receiving, by said issuer, authentication information concerning said customer;
• verifying, by said issuer during a registration process, the identity of said customer as the owner of said account and associating a designated password with said account;
• receiving a request over a network from a customer computer to perform an online financial transaction with said third party;
• performing a verification process by said third party during said online transaction to determine whether said customer account is enrolled in said authentication service;
• receiving an indication responsive to said performing at said third party indicating that said customer account is enrolled;
• sending an authentication request message from said third party via said customer computer over a network during said financial transaction, said authentication request message destined for a computer of said issuer and being sent after said performing;
• receiving an authentication response message from said computer of said issuer via said customer computer during said financial transaction, said authentication response message indicating the authenticity of said customer, said authenticity being based upon a password supplied by said customer to said computer of said issuer during said financial transaction and upon said password previously designated for said account, whereby said issuer authenticates said customer for said third party.