Methods and systems for creating, verifying, and entering security information

Inventors

Meyer, Alan T. • Durham, Cameron

Assignees

Integrity Security Services LLC

Abstract

A system for securely producing and using high-entropy security information, such as a password. The system includes a printer, a display device, and a generator computer that is connected to the printer and the display device. The generator computer generates the high-entropy set of characters, (e.g., password), and also generates a machine-readable representation of the high-entropy set of characters, (e.g., a barcode). The generator computer causes the printer to print the high-entropy set of characters and the machine-readable representation on paper, and then deletes the high-entropy set of characters and the machine-readable representation from the system. The high-entropy set of characters, (e.g., password), may be entered into a target computer by scanning the barcode on the paper using a barcode scanner connected to the target computer, which is significantly faster than, and eliminates the human error associated with, typing in a high-entropy set of characters.

Core Innovation

The invention provides a system for producing high-entropy security information. A generator computer generates a high-entropy set of characters and displays the high-entropy set of characters on a display device, and accepts input from a user to edit the high-entropy set of characters.

The generator computer generates a machine-readable representation that represents the high-entropy set of characters and calculates a key check value from the high-entropy set of characters. The system causes a printer to print the high-entropy set of characters, the machine-readable representation, and the key check value on paper.

After printing, the system deletes the high-entropy set of characters and the machine-readable representation. In additional embodiments, the high-entropy set of characters is changed or edited based on input from a user while still generating the machine-readable representation and calculating the key check value, and the machine-readable representation may be read by a reader device to provide the high-entropy set of characters to a target computer.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims are directed to a system, a computer, and instructions/medium for producing high-entropy security information using a generator that generates, displays, allows user editing or changing, converts to a machine-readable representation, calculates a key check value, prints on paper, and deletes electronic copies. Across the independent claims, the core inventive features cover generation and editing of a high-entropy set of characters, machine-readable representation generation and key check value calculation, printing on paper, and deletion of the high-entropy set of characters and the machine-readable representation.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on producing high-entropy security information by generating a high-entropy set of characters, displaying it for user editing or changing, generating a machine-readable representation, calculating a key check value, printing the high-entropy set of characters together with the machine-readable representation and key check value on paper, and deleting the high-entropy set of characters and the machine-readable representation.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications