Technology

Almost all authentications on the Internet and on corporate information systems are based on a “login-password” combination. However, users tend to choose trivial passwords and to use the same password for multiple accesses or to share it with colleagues, which weakens security systems and makes digital identity theft easier.

In the end, who can be sure of a user’s identity or of the origin of an email? To end the use of the “login-passthru”, different technologies have emerged including PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) and OTP (One Time Password). To the password “what I know”, the concept of token “what I possess” and even biometrics “who I am” has been added thus creating a two- or three-factor strong authentication instead of one.

While the concept of two- or three-factor strong authentication is widely recognised as the solution to the “login- passthru” issue, the mass market deployment of “tokens” faces two major obstacles:

• Costs are too high as their distribution involves logistics costs. Their multiplication is a problem; each token is used for a specific purpose. Not to speak of the token losses, thefts and omissions management... Finally, the logistics costs and the deployment complexity are much too high.

• Users are reluctant to use a part of their body, a biometrics factor such as digital prints; indeed, if these fingerprints are misguided, it is impossible to reset them... Besides the dissuasive effect of biometrics seen as "Big Brother" ...

Mobilegov’s Digital DNA solution: it relies on a simple crux. This technology extracts information from a device – such as a computer, a USB stick or a smartphone – to make it unique to be identified, then associates this extract (the Digital DNA) to a user. Therefore a token is created (what I possess) with the same strength level as biometrics (who I am), without using a body physical element. Then this extract is combined with a timestamp and a quantum random factor to avoid replay in case of interception on the network. The whole makes up an OTP (One Time Password) which favourably replaces the “login-passthru” without deployment and logistics costs. Another benefit is that in case of loss of the token (ie USB stick), the user can regenerate a Digital DNA with another device, without delay.

The whole process can be protected by a PIN code that the user chooses, and that invalidates its Digital DNA after three unsuccessful attempts, like a credit card. This makes the token useless in case of theft or loss.

In conclusion, thanks to its ease of deployment and its low costs compared to the other authentication solutions, the Digital DNA represents a secured solution which is destined to replace the “login-passthru”.

The immediate applications are: secured remote accesses for remote work, secured webmails, user authentication and trusted third parties and induced storage, online banking, e-commerce; websites and social networks, corporate network and directory accesses and the fight against fraud and identity theft...