Performing client authentication using onetime values recovered from barcode graphics

摘要

Techniques are disclosed for authenticating users accessing computing applications, e.g., applications hosted in a cloud environment accessed using a variety of computing systems. As disclosed, an authentication process is performed using a certificate and private key installed on a mobile device and a nonce generated on the server. To authenticate a user, a server generates a nonce, encrypts the nonce with a public key associated with the user, and encodes the encrypted nonce in a barcode graphic (e.g., a QR code). The resulting barcode graphic is displayed to the user, and a mobile device scans the barcode graphic to recover the encrypted nonce. The encrypted nonce is decrypted using a private key stored on the mobile device. The clear text nonce is then displayed on the screen of the mobile device and used as a one-time password (OTP) for authentication.

主权项

1. A method for authenticating a client device requesting access to a computing application, the method comprising:
in response to receiving a request to access the computing application:
encrypting a first nonce using a public key associated with the user, andencoding the encrypted nonce in a barcode graphic; sending the barcode graphic to the client device as a second factor authentication challenge, wherein the client device renders the barcode graphic on a display to be scanned by a mobile device and wherein the mobile device is configured to generate a second nonce by:
scanning the barcode graphic to recover the encrypted first nonce,accessing a private key from a certificate store on the mobile device,decrypting the encrypted first nonce, andpresenting, on a display of the mobile device, as the second nonce, the decrypted first nonce; receiving, from the client device, a response to the challenge which includes the second nonce; and upon determining the second nonce matches the first nonce, granting the client device access to the computing application.