Secure transformable password generation

A computer implemented method for providing and utilizing transformed passwords, the method comprising:

• associating a public encryption key with a complementary private encryption key to a third party for use in accessing a user's account at a host server;
• generating a transformed password by encrypting the user's original password using the public encryption key, the transformed password being different from the user's original password;
• providing the transformed password to the third party, the transformed password being provided during a registration stage in which an authentication credential for accessing the user's account is allocated to the third party, the transformed password being the authentication credential;
• receiving password information from the third party, the password information being received during an accessing stage in which the third party attempts to access the user's account and the password information is advanced as the authentication credential for accessing the user's account;
• applying the private encryption key to the received password information to obtain a result;
• comparing, by a processor, the result to the user's original password;
• and
• granting the third party access to the user's account if the result and the user's original password are identical.

A host server apparatus including processor means for managing access requests to a user's on-line account information by third parties, the processor means being operable to:

• receive a request for a transformed password, the request being received during a registration stage in which an authentication credential for accessing the user's account is allocated to a third party;
• associate an encryption key with the third party for use in accessing the user's account at the host server apparatus;
• generate a first transformed password by applying the associated encryption key to a user's original password, the first transformed password being different from the user's original password;
• and
• provide the transformed password to the third party for use as an authentication credential for accessing the user's account.

A host server apparatus including a processor means for managing access requests to a user's on-line account information by third parties, the processor means being operable to:

• receive a request for a transformed password, the request being received during a registration stage in which an authentication credential for accessing the user's account is allocated to a third party;
• provide a private and public encryption key pair;
• associate the public encryption key with the third party for use in accessing the user's account at the host server apparatus, thereby also associating the private encryption key to the third party;
• generate a transformed password by applying the associated public encryption key to a user's original password, the transformed password being different from the user's original password;
• and
• provide the transformed password to the third party for use as an authentication credential for accessing the user's account.

An apparatus including processor means for accessing an account at a host server on behalf of a user, the apparatus being connected to the host server and the user through a network, the processor means being operable to:

• request access to the host server on behalf of the user;
• receive a transformed password from the host server or the user, the transformed password being formed by encrypting the user's original password with an encryption key associated with the apparatus, the transformed password being different from the user's original password, and the transformed password being received during a registration stage in which an authentication credential for accessing the user's account is allocated to a third party, the transformed password being the authentication credential;
• transmit the transformed password to the host server, the transformed password being transmitted during an accessing stage in which the third party attempts to access the user's account;
• and
• access the user's account information upon validation of the transformed password by the host server.